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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. suit — clothes
  6. land — a country
  7. land — ground
  8. ball — a dance
  9. land — to come down
  10. track — a path
  11. rash — a series
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. suit — to fit
  14. track — a song
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stock — goods
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. kid — child
  21. rash — hasty
  22. suit — in cards
  23. track — to keep track
  24. ball — a great time

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