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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stock — goods
  4. object — an aim
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. chip — to eat
  9. face — part of the head
  10. firm — steady
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. object — a thing
  15. face — to point toward
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. foot — a measure
  19. face — to confront
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. object — to protest
  24. stock — shares

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com