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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · bound · craft · wave · dip · net · deal · stock

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stock — shares
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. stock — goods
  12. bound — tied together
  13. ball — a dance
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bound — certain
  22. craft — boats
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. net — in sport

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