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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stock — goods
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. capital — money
  8. bass — low music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. lie — to recline
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. capital — a city
  15. can — a tin
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stock — shares
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. capital — a big letter

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