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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fine — all right
  5. spell — magic
  6. mug — a cup
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stock — shares
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mug — to rob
  17. root — the cause
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mug — a face
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stock — goods
  22. spell — letters
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. root — of a word

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