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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stock — shares
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. craft — a skill
  8. face — part of the head
  9. stock — goods
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — to confront
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rush — hurry
  18. kid — to tease
  19. firm — decided
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. craft — boats
  22. kid — child
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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