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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. suit — in cards
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. stock — goods
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mug — a face
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rest — a break
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mug — a cup
  17. suit — clothes
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. mug — to rob
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — shares
  23. suit — to fit
  24. capital — money

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