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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ball — a great time
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stock — shares
  8. present — the time now
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ball — a dance
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. present — a gift
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stock — goods
  20. present — there
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. object — an aim
  24. stock — a soup base

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