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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bass — low music
  4. chip — to eat
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. perch — the fish
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stock — goods
  10. ball — a dance
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. object — to protest
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. chip — for betting
  17. object — an aim
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. object — a thing
  22. stock — shares
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bat — for baseball

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