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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 116 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. field — for sport
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. root — the cause
  10. present — there
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. field — farmland
  13. march — the month
  14. field — a subject
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. root — of a word
  17. present — a gift
  18. march — the month
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. present — the time now
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. march — music

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