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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. roll — a list
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. roll — a cake
  8. fall — to drop
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stock — goods
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stock — shares
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fall — the season
  24. foot — a measure

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