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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rash — a series
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stock — shares
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. cell — a phone
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. object — a thing
  15. saw — the tool
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stock — goods
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. rash — hasty
  20. saw — the tool
  21. object — an aim
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. object — to protest

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