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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. capital — money
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mate — a friend
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. mate — to breed
  9. pound — a weight
  10. capital — a city
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. cap — a lid
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stock — shares
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mate — a partner
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rush — hurry
  23. cap — of ice
  24. nail — for a hammer

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