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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stock — shares
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bulb — for light
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rest — what's left
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rest — a break
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stock — goods

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