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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stock — goods
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stock — shares
  11. season — of the year
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mate — to breed
  14. season — in sport
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. fine — high quality

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