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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bass — the fish
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pop — soda
  13. bore — to drill
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stock — goods
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pop — to visit
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pop — music
  23. pit — a hole
  24. deal — to handle

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