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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. stock — goods
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. stock — shares
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bass — low music
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bass — the fish
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. snap — to click

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