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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stock — goods
  4. game — a match
  5. stock — shares
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. game — wild animals
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. can — a tin
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — all right
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. can — a tin
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. plane — a tool
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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