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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. stock — goods
  3. mate — to breed
  4. firm — decided
  5. drill — army training
  6. stock — shares
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. drill — the tool
  13. firm — steady
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — to get on
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mate — a friend
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — a container
  21. mate — a partner
  22. firm — a company
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — for baseball

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