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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stock — shares
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bass — the fish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bass — low music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. kid — child
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. kid — to tease
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. coach — a trainer

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