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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 120 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 do you think of the new ________________?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stock — goods
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. net — after costs
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. net — in sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. net — for catching
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bass — low music
  15. court — of a king
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stock — shares
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. safe — out of danger

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