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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 120 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: ball · sharp · bass · charge · stock · leaves · foot · mark

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. charge — in control
  7. stock — goods
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bass — low music
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. stock — shares
  17. ball — a great time
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. ball — a dance
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bass — the fish
  23. charge — a price
  24. leaves — to go away

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