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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. land — a country
  3. mark — a grade
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. land — to come down
  7. club — a group
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. club — for dancing
  10. fine — all right
  11. land — ground
  12. stock — goods
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mug — a face
  15. club — for golf
  16. net — for catching
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mug — to rob
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. net — in sport
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mark — a trace
  23. net — after costs
  24. mate — to breed

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