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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bass — low music
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. stock — shares
  11. pop — music
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. stock — goods
  16. pop — to visit
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bass — the fish
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pop — soda
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pit — in a race

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