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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bass — the fish
  3. net — for catching
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cap — a lid
  7. suit — to fit
  8. present — the time now
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. present — there
  13. object — an aim
  14. cap — a hat
  15. object — to protest
  16. stock — shares
  17. object — a thing
  18. suit — in cards
  19. net — in sport
  20. stock — goods
  21. cap — of ice
  22. present — a gift
  23. bass — low music
  24. net — after costs

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