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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. march — music
  4. stock — goods
  5. season — of the year
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rash — a series
  9. season — in sport
  10. march — the month
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rule — government
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bass — low music
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. march — the month
  20. rule — a law
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stock — shares
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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