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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 112 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rest — what's left
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. present — there
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mark — a trace
  15. present — a gift
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rest — a break
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cue — a hint
  22. present — the time now
  23. stock — shares
  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