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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. rest — a break
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. root — the cause
  6. mine — for digging
  7. stock — goods
  8. mark — a grade
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mug — a face
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rest — what's left
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. tube — a container
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stock — shares

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