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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ball — a great time
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stand — to bear
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. squash — the vegetable

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