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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 120 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: cue · stock · bowl · spring · band · bass · snap · calf

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bass — the fish
  4. cue — a signal
  5. band — a music group
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. spring — of water
  9. band — a ring
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. snap — to click
  14. cue — for pool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. spring — a coil
  18. stock — goods
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. spring — the season
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. cue — a hint
  24. band — a rubber band

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