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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. bass — the instrument
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. chip — to eat
  5. land — to come down
  6. race — a contest
  7. land — a country
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. firm — steady
  10. chip — for betting
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bass — low music
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bass — the fish
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. land — ground
  21. rock — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rock — a stone
  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