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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 124 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 partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cold — an illness
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stock — shares
  5. cold — not warm
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. suit — in cards
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. suit — clothes
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. present — a gift
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. can — a tin
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. present — the time now
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. can — a tin

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