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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. face — to point toward
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. degree — an amount
  8. suit — to fit
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bass — low music
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. degree — from a university
  15. stock — shares
  16. suit — in cards
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stock — goods
  20. bass — the fish
  21. face — to confront
  22. cue — for pool
  23. degree — temperature
  24. stock — a soup base

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