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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stock — goods
  3. mate — to breed
  4. stock — shares
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. club — for dancing
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fork — in a road
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for golf
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. saw — the tool

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