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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. rest — a break
  5. spell — letters
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. net — for catching
  12. mate — a friend
  13. foot — a measure
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. toast — bread
  17. mate — to breed
  18. net — in sport
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cell — a phone
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stock — goods
  23. net — after costs
  24. mate — a partner

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