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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. root — the cause
  3. mate — to breed
  4. can — to be able to
  5. swing — music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. swing — in golf
  8. capital — a city
  9. can — a tin
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. root — of a plant
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rush — hurry
  15. can — a tin
  16. capital — money
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mate — a friend
  23. root — of a word
  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