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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. craft — boats
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stock — shares
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stock — goods
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bore — to drill
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bat — the animal

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