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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. cap — a lid
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stock — goods
  12. roll — a list
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stock — shares
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cap — of ice
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a hat

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