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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. stock — a soup base
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. degree — from a university
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. stock — shares
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bass — low music
  11. foot — a measure
  12. kick — in football
  13. bass — the fish
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. degree — temperature
  17. sharp — clever
  18. degree — an amount
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stock — goods
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. arm — part of the body
  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