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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 120 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stock — shares
  3. kick — in football
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. race — a contest
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. root — the cause
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. object — a thing
  13. stock — goods
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. root — of a word
  17. bass — the fish
  18. root — of a plant
  19. bass — low music
  20. object — an aim
  21. race — humankind
  22. pass — a permit
  23. race — the arms race
  24. object — to protest

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