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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. stock — goods
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pop — to visit
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pop — soda
  12. land — a country
  13. pop — music
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bass — the fish
  17. stock — shares
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. land — to come down
  20. bass — low music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fine — high quality
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. land — ground

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