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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: straw · stock · safe · pound · mark · bass · net · ball

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bass — low music
  4. ball — a great time
  5. mark — a trace
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stock — shares
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. ball — a dance
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. net — for catching
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. safe — a strongbox

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