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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pound — a weight
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. court — of a king
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stock — shares
  13. suit — to fit
  14. spell — letters
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stock — goods
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bore — to tire
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. court — for sport
  21. spell — magic
  22. court — of law
  23. spell — a short time
  24. scale — in music

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