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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. mark — a grade
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. staff — employees
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. snap — to click
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bass — low music
  21. staff — employees
  22. fork — in a road
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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