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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. stock — shares
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. track — a song
  7. suit — in cards
  8. track — a path
  9. suit — to fit
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mine — for digging
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wound — an injury
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pound — a weight
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. stock — goods
  20. can — a tin
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. can — to be able to
  24. arm — part of the body

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