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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. suit — clothes
  5. roll — a list
  6. suit — in cards
  7. perch — the fish
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. stock — goods
  10. roll — a cake
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. can — a tin
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. stock — shares
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mine — for digging
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. roll — on a roll

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