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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. track — to keep track
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. track — a song
  11. drill — army training
  12. stock — goods
  13. track — a path
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stock — shares
  18. safe — a strongbox

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