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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. craft — boats
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stock — goods
  8. deal — to handle
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. ground — the earth
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. row — to paddle
  14. stock — shares
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. row — a line
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. ground — a position

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