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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 120 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a great time
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stock — shares
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pit — a hole
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cue — a signal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bulb — for light

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