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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stock — shares
  5. pop — soda
  6. bass — low music
  7. spell — a short time
  8. rock — a stone
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. suit — in cards
  12. spell — letters
  13. bass — the fish
  14. stock — goods
  15. spell — magic
  16. rock — music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. suit — to fit

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