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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. stock — goods
  5. spell — a short time
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bank — for money
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mug — a face
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. spell — magic
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mate — a partner
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spell — letters
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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