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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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mark — a grade
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ball — a dance
  7. net — after costs
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. spell — magic
  12. stock — shares
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. net — for catching
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. suit — to fit
  20. net — in sport
  21. spell — a short time
  22. spell — letters
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wave — of the sea

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