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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bass — the fish
  4. face — part of the head
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. stock — shares
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bass — low music
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. face — to confront
  21. stock — goods
  22. face — to point toward
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. kick — in football

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