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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. cap — a lid
  6. object — an aim
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stock — goods
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stock — shares
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. scale — in music
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. object — a thing
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pitch — completely
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. object — to protest

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