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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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. tube — a container
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. present — a gift
  6. deal — to handle
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. present — there
  12. ball — a dance
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. stock — shares
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. present — the time now
  20. stock — goods
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ball — a great time

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