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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · fine · mark · spring · bass · board · stock · sharp

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. fine — all right
  4. sharp — clever
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. spring — of water
  11. stock — shares
  12. board — a committee
  13. mark — a trace
  14. fine — high quality
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bass — low music
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — the season
  20. board — to get on
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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