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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bore — to drill
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pop — soda
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pop — music
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. game — a match
  14. stock — goods
  15. bass — low music
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bass — the fish
  24. stock — shares

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