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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. spell — magic
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. net — for catching
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. squash — to crush
  8. stock — shares
  9. spell — letters
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stock — goods
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. pit — in a race
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. net — after costs
  19. pit — a hole
  20. net — in sport
  21. toast — bread
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — a short time
  24. squash — the sport

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