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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. craft — boats
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mug — a cup
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. object — to protest
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mug — to rob
  14. object — a thing
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — shares
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. object — an aim
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mug — a face
  24. craft — a skill

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