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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. ball — a dance
  9. game — wild animals
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a great time
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — shares
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fine — all right
  22. stock — goods
  23. game — a match
  24. ball — a round shape

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