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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. sharp — clever
  5. scale — in music
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — goods
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. hand — in cards
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stock — shares
  16. hand — help
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. scale — size or range
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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