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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. stock — goods
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. staff — employees
  5. capital — a city
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pit — a hole
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. capital — money
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. staff — a stick
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stock — shares
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. pit — in a race

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