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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rock — a stone
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. squash — the sport
  6. can — a tin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fall — the season
  9. spell — a short time
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rock — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. can — to be able to
  15. spell — letters
  16. can — a tin
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fall — to drop
  19. stock — shares
  20. squash — to crush
  21. spell — magic
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stock — goods

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