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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. deal — to handle
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — an illness
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. tube — a container
  13. mug — a face
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mug — to rob
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stock — goods
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. tube — the underground
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. stock — shares
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cold — the Cold War

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