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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: wax · pass · chip · lash · bass · racket · sharp · stock

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chip — to eat
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bass — low music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bass — the fish
  7. sharp — clever
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pass — a permit
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. stock — shares

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