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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pop — soda
  7. stock — goods
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rash — hasty
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rock — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pop — music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stock — shares
  19. rock — a stone
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pop — to visit
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rash — a series

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