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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. bass — low music
  3. branch — a division
  4. rock — a stone
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stock — shares
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. stock — goods
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. snap — to click
  17. bass — the fish
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stock — a soup base

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