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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: race · club · bass · mate · stock · toast · suit · pound

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stock — goods
  4. toast — bread
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — a contest
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. suit — clothes
  12. club — a group
  13. stock — shares
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mate — a partner
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stock — a soup base

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