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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. spell — letters
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. capital — money
  5. spell — a short time
  6. board — to get on
  7. spell — magic
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. capital — a city
  10. board — a committee
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mark — a trace
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — goods
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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