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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 120 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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. row — to paddle
  9. stock — shares
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wake — a trail
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bear — the animal
  22. row — a line
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stock — goods

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