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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stock — goods
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. stock — shares
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bass — low music
  10. cell — a phone
  11. object — to protest
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. object — an aim
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. object — a thing
  24. dip — to sink

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