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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stock — goods
  3. board — a committee
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stock — shares
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mug — a face
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. file — a document
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. file — a tool
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mug — to rob
  19. board — to get on
  20. wake — a trail
  21. file — a line of people
  22. rush — hurry
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. wake — before a funeral

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