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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mate — a partner
  4. rest — a break
  5. mate — to breed
  6. march — the month
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. march — the month
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. can — to be able to
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. can — a tin
  24. march — music

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