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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. spell — letters
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. spell — magic
  5. stock — shares
  6. swing — in golf
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pop — soda
  9. staff — employees
  10. roll — a cake
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pop — to visit
  13. staff — a stick
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. swing — music
  16. pop — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. staff — employees
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spell — a short time
  22. stock — goods
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. safe — a strongbox

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