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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stock — goods
  5. firm — steady
  6. kick — in football
  7. lean — thin
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. firm — decided
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bass — the fish
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. firm — a company
  18. club — a group
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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