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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bass · rock · cue · chest · arm · hand · bowl · stock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bass — low music
  4. stock — shares
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. stock — goods
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. hand — help
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bass — the fish
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rock — music
  19. chest — of your body
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. chest — a box
  24. arm — part of the body

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