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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. stock — goods
  5. last — final
  6. mark — a trace
  7. last — to go on
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. mark — a grade
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rest — what's left
  17. last — finally
  18. pit — a hole
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. rest — a break
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rest — what's left

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