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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. court — of a king
  3. stock — shares
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. wound — an injury
  9. can — a tin
  10. cap — a lid
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stock — goods
  13. cap — a hat
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. snap — to click
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. court — of law
  23. cap — of ice
  24. court — for 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