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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. shower — rain
  4. stock — goods
  5. suit — in cards
  6. shower — to wash
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — for sport
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fall — the season
  12. field — a subject
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bank — for money
  15. fall — to drop
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stock — shares
  18. bank — for money
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fall — to drop
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. deal — an agreement

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