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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. net — in sport
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. fine — all right
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. net — after costs
  11. stock — shares
  12. fine — high quality
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stock — goods
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. net — for catching
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wave — with your hand

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