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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stock — shares
  3. ground — crushed
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bass — the fish
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. can — a tin
  13. net — for catching
  14. rest — a break
  15. can — to be able to
  16. ground — a position
  17. can — a tin
  18. row — a line
  19. bass — low music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. net — after costs
  23. ground — the earth
  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