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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. club — a group
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pop — music
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pop — soda
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. club — for golf
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. roll — a list
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. stock — goods
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pop — to visit
  23. roll — a cake
  24. stock — shares

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