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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stock — shares
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pop — to visit
  8. row — to paddle
  9. club — for dancing
  10. pop — soda
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. rest — a break
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pit — in a race
  15. club — for golf
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. club — a group
  18. pop — music
  19. stock — goods
  20. row — a line
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. can — a tin

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