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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. date — the fruit
  2. bass — low music
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — decided
  7. stock — shares
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bass — the fish
  16. saw — the tool
  17. object — to protest
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. object — an aim
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. firm — steady
  23. object — a thing
  24. stock — goods

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