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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: jam · bass · capital · lie · dip · stock · ball · suit

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stock — goods
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. suit — in cards
  9. capital — a city
  10. bass — low music
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. suit — to fit
  13. capital — money
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stock — shares
  24. ball — a great time

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