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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. cap — a lid
  4. root — the cause
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. can — a tin
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. root — of a word
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cap — a hat
  21. board — a committee
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. rush — hurry

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