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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: stock · bass · squash · key · mouse · net · jam · hide

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. key — for a lock
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. squash — the sport
  8. stock — goods
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bass — low music
  13. net — in sport
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bass — the fish
  16. net — after costs
  17. key — the most important part
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stock — shares
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. net — for catching
  22. key — in music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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