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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fine — high quality
  3. track — a song
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stock — shares
  10. net — after costs
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. firm — decided
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stock — goods
  18. fine — all right
  19. track — to keep track
  20. firm — steady
  21. track — a path
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. firm — a company

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