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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. key — the most important part
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. club — a group
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. dip — to sink
  12. club — for dancing
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. key — in music
  15. club — for golf
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. firm — a company
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. firm — decided
  20. key — for a lock
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. firm — steady
  24. stock — goods

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