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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. stock — goods
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pop — soda
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. wake — a trail
  8. hand — help
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. fine — all right
  11. toast — bread
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pound — a weight
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pop — music
  22. stock — shares
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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