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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. scale — in music
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bore — to tire
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bore — to drill
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. mug — a face
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fine — high quality
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. scale — size or range
  20. fine — all right
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mug — a cup
  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