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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. club — for dancing
  3. fine — high quality
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. club — a group
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stock — goods
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fine — all right
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mark — a trace
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. hand — help
  23. stock — shares
  24. club — for golf

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