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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bass — low music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. face — to point toward
  20. hand — in cards
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. hand — help
  24. dip — a sauce

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