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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
468
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: stock · present · date · bass · arm · safe · racket · kick

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. present — there
  6. bass — the fish
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stock — goods
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stock — shares
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. date — the fruit
  16. present — a gift
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bass — low music
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. present — the time now

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