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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ground — a position
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pop — soda
  9. face — part of the head
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bass — low music
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bass — the fish
  15. stock — shares
  16. pop — music
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ground — the earth
  20. suit — clothes
  21. face — to confront
  22. craft — boats
  23. stock — goods
  24. bass — the instrument

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