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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stock — goods
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. deal — to handle
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stock — shares
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. deal — a big deal

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