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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. staff — a stick
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mug — a face
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stock — goods
  8. ground — a position
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. ground — crushed
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stock — shares
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. deal — to handle
  19. staff — employees
  20. saw — the tool
  21. staff — employees
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ground — the earth
  24. cabinet — ministers

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