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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. swing — music
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. can — to be able to
  9. staff — a stick
  10. can — a tin
  11. staff — employees
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — a tin
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stock — goods
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. staff — employees
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. swing — to play on
  24. fine — high quality

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