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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. saw — the tool
  3. board — a committee
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. drill — army training
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stock — shares
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stock — goods
  12. saw — the tool
  13. land — a country
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rush — hurry
  16. land — to come down
  17. suit — in cards
  18. land — ground
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. ball — a dance
  22. drill — a practice
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ball — a great time

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