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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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Word bank
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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. charge — in control
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. charge — electricity
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. dip — to sink
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stock — shares
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. cue — a signal
  18. key — for a lock
  19. charge — a price
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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