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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ball — a dance
  9. craft — boats
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. stock — shares
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. can — a tin

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