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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. present — a gift
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rule — a law
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. can — a tin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stock — goods
  13. rule — government
  14. can — to be able to
  15. dip — to sink
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stock — shares
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. present — the time now
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. perch — the fish
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — there

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