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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.

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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. drill — a practice
  3. spring — of water
  4. stock — goods
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. spring — a coil
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. ball — a dance
  9. firm — steady
  10. drill — army training
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stock — shares
  13. ball — a great time
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. drill — the tool
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. spring — the season
  20. can — to be able to
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stock — a soup base

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