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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. roll — a list
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bass — low music
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bass — the fish
  17. stock — goods
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stock — shares
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bear — the animal

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