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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 116 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — all right
  5. stock — shares
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stock — goods
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fine — high quality
  15. suit — in cards
  16. deal — to handle
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. suit — clothes

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