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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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. tube — the underground
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spell — a short time
  5. stock — shares
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. key — the most important part
  8. spell — letters
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. key — in music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. suit — clothes
  20. key — for a lock
  21. tube — a container
  22. spell — magic
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mark — a grade

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