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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. stock — shares
  3. rash — hasty
  4. board — to get on
  5. bass — low music
  6. toast — bread
  7. board — a committee
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bass — the fish
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. stock — goods
  13. key — in music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rash — a series
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. key — the most important part

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