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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. saw — the tool
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — a short time
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bore — to drill
  13. scale — in music
  14. pop — music
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. spell — letters
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pop — to visit
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stock — goods
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bore — to tire

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