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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. fork — in a road
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. sharp — clever
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stock — goods
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mate — to breed
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. lean — thin
  22. mate — a partner
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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