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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. dip — to sink
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stock — goods
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bass — low music
  9. spring — of water
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bear — the animal
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. face — to confront
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mark — a trace
  24. dip — to dunk

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