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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. race — a contest
  4. stock — goods
  5. key — in music
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. key — the most important part
  9. race — humankind
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. race — the arms race
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. can — a tin
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — shares
  23. hand — in cards
  24. fan — to cool the air

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