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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. roll — a cake
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mug — a cup
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. roll — a list
  7. season — of the year
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. season — in sport
  11. mug — a face
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. stock — shares
  15. drill — the tool
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. mug — to rob
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. drill — a practice
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. foot — a measure
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. drill — army training

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