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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rule — government
  3. stock — shares
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rule — a law
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. stock — goods
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rock — music
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bass — the fish
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bass — low music

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