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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
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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: wave · mouse · arm · face · stock · wound · stick · bass

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. face — to confront
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stock — goods
  13. bass — low music
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wound — an injury
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. stock — shares
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mouse — for a computer

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