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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ball — a dance
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. craft — boats
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. cue — for pool
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stock — goods
  24. ball — a round shape

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