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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 120 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. race — the arms race
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — clothes
  5. race — humankind
  6. stock — goods
  7. suit — to fit
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cold — an illness
  11. face — to confront
  12. race — a contest
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. face — part of the head
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. cold — not warm
  22. face — to point toward
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stock — shares

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