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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. deal — to handle
  6. spring — of water
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. season — of the year
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. season — in sport
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. spring — a coil
  18. object — a thing
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pit — a hole
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. spring — the season

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