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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. stock — shares
  3. bass — the fish
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. kick — in football
  7. dip — to sink
  8. present — a gift
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. present — the time now
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. stock — goods
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. present — there
  22. ball — a dance
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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