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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 116 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. branch — a division
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bass — the fish
  5. stock — goods
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. object — to protest
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. suit — clothes
  11. net — after costs
  12. object — an aim
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bass — low music
  15. suit — in cards
  16. net — for catching
  17. suit — to fit
  18. snap — to click
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. net — in sport
  21. stock — shares
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. object — a thing
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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