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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: safe · rest · bass · stock · mouse · court · stand · drill

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bass — low music
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bass — the fish
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stock — goods
  9. court — for sport
  10. rest — what's left
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. court — of a king
  16. rest — a break
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. court — of law
  23. drill — army training
  24. stand — to bear

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