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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. craft — a skill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. deal — to handle
  7. can — a tin
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stock — goods
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. stock — shares
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. can — to be able to
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. can — a tin
  19. craft — boats
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. rush — hurry
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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