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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. stock — goods
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — of the year
  12. craft — boats
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bulb — for light
  15. season — in sport
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. craft — a skill
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. stock — shares

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