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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: degree · track · stock · snap · wave · bass · charge · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. stock — shares
  3. bass — the fish
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stock — goods
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. degree — temperature
  8. charge — a price
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bass — low music
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. track — a song
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. charge — in control
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. charge — electricity
  17. track — a path
  18. club — for golf
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. degree — an amount
  21. snap — to click
  22. club — a group
  23. degree — from a university
  24. track — to keep track

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