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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. stock — shares
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lie — to recline
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stock — goods
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. sharp — clever
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. rock — music
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — low music

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