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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. deal — to handle
  5. club — a group
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bear — the animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. stock — shares
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stock — goods
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. club — for dancing
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. bear — the animal
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. club — for golf
  21. roll — a list
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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