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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. band — a ring
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. fine — high quality
  5. present — a gift
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. stock — goods
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. stock — shares
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. vault — a safe
  16. band — a music group
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. toast — bread
  21. fine — all right
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. present — there

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