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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. deal — to handle
  6. court — of a king
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. present — a gift
  9. fall — to drop
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — there
  12. court — of law
  13. stock — goods
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fall — the season
  16. court — for sport
  17. fine — high quality
  18. lean — thin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fine — all right

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