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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — soda
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stock — goods
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pop — to visit
  8. fall — to drop
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. key — in music
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pop — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. wake — a trail
  19. fine — all right
  20. stock — shares
  21. fall — the season
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fine — high quality

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