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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bank — for money
  3. bass — low music
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stock — shares
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bank — for money
  8. race — the arms race
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. craft — boats
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. race — humankind
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. race — a contest
  18. bank — of a river
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. craft — a handicraft

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