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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stock — shares
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. craft — boats
  7. rest — what's left
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mate — a friend
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rest — a break
  16. club — for dancing
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. club — a group
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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