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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. court — of law
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. stock — goods
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — shares
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. sharp — clever
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. court — for sport
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. court — of a king
  24. safe — a strongbox

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