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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mug — a face
  7. stock — shares
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mark — a grade
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rash — a series
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. stock — goods
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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