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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pound — a weight
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. stock — shares
  13. bark — to shout
  14. cue — a hint
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stock — goods
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cue — for pool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. cap — of ice

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