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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: bear · hide · pit · band · fan · bass · stock · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a music group
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bass — low music
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. band — a ring
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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