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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. band — a music group
  4. can — a tin
  5. band — a ring
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. sharp — clever
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. can — a tin
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. capital — a city
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stock — shares
  19. can — to be able to
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. capital — money
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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