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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: saw · bass · mark · lash · mine · mouse · race · stock

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. race — humankind
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. race — a contest
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stock — shares
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stock — goods
  22. bass — low music
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. saw — the tool

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