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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
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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: club · date · roll · dip · bass · stock · hide · toast

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — the fruit
  6. toast — bread
  7. bass — the fish
  8. dip — to sink
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. club — for golf
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. club — a group
  14. stock — shares
  15. club — for dancing
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. roll — a cake
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. roll — a list
  22. bass — low music
  23. stock — goods
  24. hide — to keep secret

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