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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: bass · stock · mark · bank · mouse · staff · lie · hand

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stock — shares
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. staff — employees
  12. bank — for money
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. staff — a stick
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. mark — a trace
  18. staff — employees
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. bass — low music

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