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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. spell — magic
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. can — to be able to
  6. stock — goods
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. shower — to wash
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. club — a group
  11. spell — a short time
  12. club — for dancing
  13. stock — shares
  14. club — for golf
  15. can — a tin
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. spell — letters
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. shower — rain
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. can — a tin

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