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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stock — shares
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fork — in a road
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fine — all right
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stock — goods
  14. pass — a permit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pass — to spend time

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