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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: bass · mouse · roll · scale · bay · stock · racket · firm

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. firm — decided
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bass — low music
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. roll — a list
  10. firm — a company
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. scale — in music
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bass — the fish
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. firm — steady
  17. stock — shares
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. roll — a cake
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stock — goods
  24. scale — size or range

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