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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. court — of law
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. court — of a king
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stock — shares
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. wake — a trail
  19. court — for sport
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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