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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. kick — in football
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mug — a face
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stock — shares
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stock — goods
  20. rash — a series
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mug — to rob
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. kick — a thrill

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