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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · fine · racket · pitcher · rock · ball · hand · lie

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rock — music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a dance
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. hand — help
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fine — all right
  15. hand — in cards
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. stock — shares
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stock — goods
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. pitcher — a jug

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