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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. can — a tin
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. net — for catching
  5. hand — help
  6. board — to get on
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stock — goods
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. can — to be able to
  12. land — a country
  13. can — a tin
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. net — in sport
  16. hand — in cards
  17. toast — bread
  18. net — after costs
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. land — ground
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. land — to come down
  23. stock — shares
  24. board — a committee

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