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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 116 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bass — low music
  6. can — a tin
  7. rock — music
  8. stock — shares
  9. can — a tin
  10. mate — a partner
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ball — a dance
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rock — a stone
  18. stock — goods
  19. mate — a friend
  20. kick — in football
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stock — a soup base

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