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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. stock — goods
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. row — to paddle
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bass — low music
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stock — shares
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bass — the fish
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. object — a thing
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. object — an aim
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. object — to protest
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — music
  23. mine — for digging
  24. row — a line

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