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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. suit — in cards
  3. spring — the season
  4. fine — all right
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rash — a series
  9. spring — of water
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. stock — shares
  12. club — for golf
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. club — a group
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. fine — high quality
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stock — goods
  22. rash — hasty
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. squash — the vegetable

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