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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. file — a line of people
  4. cue — for pool
  5. file — a document
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cue — a hint
  13. file — a tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wake — a trail
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stand — to bear
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. cue — a signal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. stock — shares
  24. deal — an agreement

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