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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: pop · fine · stock · cell · can · bowl · bass · rock

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pop — music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. rock — music
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pop — soda
  16. cell — in biology
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stock — shares
  22. fine — all right
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bowl — a football final

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