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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stock — shares
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ball — a dance
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. object — a thing
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. land — ground
  14. object — to protest
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. object — an aim
  24. ball — a round shape

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