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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. face — to confront
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. face — part of the head
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. face — to point toward
  12. stock — goods
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. club — for dancing
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a ring
  22. fine — high quality
  23. stock — shares
  24. fine — all right

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