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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bass — low music
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mark — a trace
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mug — a cup
  10. stock — goods
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. craft — boats
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. stock — shares
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mug — a face
  23. craft — a skill
  24. coach — a trainer

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