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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mark — a grade
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. ball — a great time
  7. can — a tin
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stock — shares
  14. wind — moving air
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bear — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mark — a trace
  19. stock — goods
  20. can — a tin
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. wind — moving air
  24. suit — clothes

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