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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 116 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 got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. stock — goods
  3. kid — to tease
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. race — humankind
  9. kid — child
  10. can — a tin
  11. suit — in cards
  12. race — a contest
  13. stock — shares
  14. can — to be able to
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. suit — to fit
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. prune — to trim

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