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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: lie · mark · stock · bass · scale · face · mouse · bay

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. scale — in music
  5. stock — goods
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. scale — size or range
  11. face — to confront
  12. bass — low music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. face — to point toward
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. stock — a soup base

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