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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. stock — goods
  3. mark — a grade
  4. prune — to trim
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. prune — to trim
  7. court — of law
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. court — for sport
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — to tease
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stock — shares
  23. court — of a king
  24. bowl — a football final

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