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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. present — the time now
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — shares
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — temperature
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. degree — from a university
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. present — there
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stock — goods

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