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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mug — a face
  4. pop — soda
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. kick — in football
  7. stock — shares
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. land — a country
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stock — goods
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rash — a series
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. rash — hasty
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pop — to visit
  21. land — to come down
  22. pop — music
  23. land — ground
  24. bowl — a football final

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