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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. chest — of your body
  6. can — a tin
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. chest — of your body
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. can — to be able to
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stock — shares
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chest — a box
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pound — a weight
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. date — the fruit
  23. stock — goods
  24. jam — in traffic

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