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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: bowl · stock · bass · jam · ball · pop · rash · cue

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pop — music
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stock — shares
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stock — goods
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cue — a signal
  15. rash — a series
  16. pop — soda
  17. cue — for pool
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cue — a hint
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bass — low music
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pop — to visit

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