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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: ground · lash · bore · stock · ball · fine · stick · bass

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fine — high quality
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bore — to drill
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bass — low music
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ground — the earth
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stock — shares
  19. ground — a position
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bore — to tire
  23. fine — all right
  24. bass — the fish

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