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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. kid — child
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stock — shares
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. ball — a great time
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. game — a match
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. stock — goods
  24. game — wild animals

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