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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 120 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 ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stock — shares
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fine — all right
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lean — to bend
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. fall — the season
  20. snap — to click
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lean — thin
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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