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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. stock — goods
  3. cue — for pool
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — to protest
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — shares
  14. hand — help
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. hand — in cards
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. object — a thing
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. object — an aim

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