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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stock — shares
  11. cue — for pool
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cue — a hint
  18. stock — goods
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. dip — to sink
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stand — to bear

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