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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: object · ball · deal · staff · net · bay · wake · stock

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. net — after costs
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wake — a trail
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. object — a thing
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. staff — employees
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. object — to protest
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. net — in sport
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. object — an aim

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