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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stock — shares
  5. present — the time now
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pitch — completely
  10. mark — a grade
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mark — a trace
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. stock — goods
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. drill — army training
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mark — to pay attention

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