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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. board — a committee
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. spring — a coil
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — in football
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spring — the season
  14. mark — a trace
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. board — to get on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. dip — to sink
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. spring — of water
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stock — goods
  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