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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stock — goods
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — all right
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. spell — magic
  7. roll — a list
  8. content — the amount
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. content — happy
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. spell — letters
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. roll — a cake
  21. spell — a short time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ball — a round shape

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