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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: stock · court · mouse · foot · lie · fine · bass · chair

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bass — low music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. court — of a king
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. court — for sport
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fine — all right
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. foot — a measure
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lie — to recline
  24. court — of law

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