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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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. net — after costs
  7. stock — shares
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. club — a group
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stock — goods
  14. rock — music
  15. net — for catching
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. club — for dancing
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fine — all right
  20. rock — a stone
  21. club — for golf
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. net — in sport
  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