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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ground — the earth
  3. fork — in a road
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ball — a dance
  9. squash — the sport
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. ground — a position
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. shower — to wash
  15. squash — to crush
  16. shower — rain
  17. stock — shares
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. can — to be able to
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stock — goods

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