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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. present — the time now
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stock — shares
  7. present — a gift
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. march — the month
  11. can — a tin
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. rush — hurry
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. march — the month
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. march — music
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. firm — a company
  24. saw — the tool

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