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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. craft — a skill
  3. bass — low music
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stock — shares
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. net — for catching
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. net — in sport
  15. pass — a permit
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. net — after costs
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. mug — a face
  21. craft — boats
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mug — to rob

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