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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ball — a great time
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stock — goods
  7. bass — the fish
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stock — shares
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bass — low music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pit — a hole
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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