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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. spell — letters
  4. stock — goods
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. can — a tin
  11. spell — magic
  12. can — to be able to
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. can — a tin
  16. spell — a short time
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. toast — bread
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stock — shares
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. arm — part of the body

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