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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 120 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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. kid — child
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. kid — to tease
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stock — goods

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