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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. land — a country
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pop — music
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bass — low music
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stem — to come from
  14. land — ground
  15. land — to come down
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stock — goods
  18. pop — soda
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stock — shares
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. cue — a hint

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