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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. race — humankind
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — a contest
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stock — shares
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. pit — in a race
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. band — a music group
  22. pit — a hole
  23. deal — to handle
  24. straw — a straw man

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