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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spring — the season
  3. can — a tin
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. spring — of water
  8. can — to be able to
  9. perch — the fish
  10. stock — goods
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. root — the cause
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. spring — a coil
  15. root — of a plant
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. can — a tin
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stock — shares
  23. root — of a word
  24. saw — the tool

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