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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. deal — to handle
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. stock — goods
  12. squash — to crush
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. squash — the sport
  18. deal — an agreement

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