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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stock — goods
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. last — finally
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stock — shares
  19. last — final
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. last — to go on

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