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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. net — for catching
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. net — in sport
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. ball — a dance
  18. stock — goods
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stock — shares
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. net — after costs

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