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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. capital — a city
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. board — a committee
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rash — hasty
  9. stock — shares
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — in cards
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. can — a tin
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stock — goods
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rash — a series
  21. suit — to fit
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. capital — money

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