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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. tube — a container
  3. rock — music
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. rock — a stone
  12. tube — the underground
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bear — the animal
  16. vault — a safe
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. stand — to bear
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bore — to drill
  24. sharp — clever

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