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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rash — a series
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. land — to come down
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stock — goods
  17. plane — a tool
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. land — ground
  23. ball — a dance
  24. land — a country

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