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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stock — shares
  4. fine — high quality
  5. firm — decided
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stock — goods
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. firm — a company
  12. kid — child
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. firm — steady
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fine — all right
  18. kid — to tease
  19. ball — a dance
  20. track — a path
  21. bat — the animal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. track — a song

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