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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. ground — a position
  3. cap — a lid
  4. capital — money
  5. cap — a hat
  6. ground — crushed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stock — goods
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. capital — a city
  18. lie — to recline
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lie — an untruth

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