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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. board — a committee
  3. track — to keep track
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ball — a great time
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — a path
  10. stock — goods
  11. can — to be able to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — of ice
  14. board — to get on
  15. track — a song
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stock — shares
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — a flat piece

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