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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. cap — a lid
  7. spell — magic
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rest — a break
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. stock — shares
  12. spell — letters
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cap — of ice
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stock — goods
  23. toast — bread
  24. cabinet — ministers

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