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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. content — happy
  4. suit — in cards
  5. content — the amount
  6. stock — shares
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. can — a tin
  9. stock — goods
  10. can — to be able to
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. can — a tin
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. suit — to fit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. content — videos and posts

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