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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. row — to paddle
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stock — shares
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. content — the amount
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. stand — to bear
  16. mate — a partner
  17. row — a line
  18. branch — a division
  19. mate — to breed
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. content — happy
  24. stock — goods

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