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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rock — music
  4. shower — rain
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mug — a cup
  7. drill — the tool
  8. face — to point toward
  9. deal — to handle
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mug — a face
  12. stock — goods
  13. mug — to rob
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. shower — to wash
  20. face — to confront
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — a practice
  23. stock — shares
  24. suit — to fit

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