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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bass — low music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. stock — shares
  13. firm — steady
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. firm — a company
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. firm — decided
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bass — the fish
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bore — to tire

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