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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. clip — to cut
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. scale — size or range
  6. can — a tin
  7. stand — to bear
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. clip — a video
  11. clip — for paper
  12. bass — the fish
  13. stock — goods
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bass — low music
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. dip — to dunk

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