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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. capital — money
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bulb — for light
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bass — the fish
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. ground — a position
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bulb — for light
  14. capital — a city
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. roll — a list
  18. branch — a division
  19. stock — goods
  20. bass — low music
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stock — shares
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. roll — a cake

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