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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. land — ground
  3. fine — high quality
  4. game — wild animals
  5. mug — to rob
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mug — a cup
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. game — a match
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. land — a country
  13. fine — all right
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. firm — decided
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mug — a face
  19. firm — steady
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. land — to come down
  23. stock — goods
  24. firm — a company

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