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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — goods
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. band — a music group
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. mug — a cup
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. ball — a dance
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. band — a ring

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