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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. can — a tin
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. band — a music group
  6. fine — high quality
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stock — goods
  9. can — a tin
  10. fine — all right
  11. stock — shares
  12. firm — a company
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. firm — decided
  15. kid — child
  16. band — a ring
  17. kid — to tease
  18. firm — steady

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