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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: squash · racket · pop · club · staff · bass · stock · foot

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bass — low music
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pop — soda
  8. club — for dancing
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stock — goods
  11. squash — the sport
  12. staff — employees
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. bass — the fish
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pop — music
  24. foot — part of the body

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