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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bass — low music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. squash — to crush
  11. stock — goods
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. board — to get on
  15. stock — shares
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. board — a committee
  18. toast — bread
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — the sport
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. ball — a great time
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bass — the fish

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