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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mug — a face
  3. net — for catching
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stock — goods
  6. mug — a cup
  7. stock — shares
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — a price
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tear — to rip
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. charge — in control
  18. net — in sport
  19. tear — from crying
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. net — after costs
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bowl — a dish

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