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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bear — the animal
  4. capital — a city
  5. tube — a container
  6. suit — to fit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. club — for dancing
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. suit — in cards
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. capital — money
  13. club — a group
  14. kick — in football
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. saw — the tool
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bear — the animal
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stock — goods
  23. club — for golf
  24. stock — shares

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