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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mate — a partner
  5. craft — boats
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rash — hasty
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. pop — soda
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stock — goods
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stock — shares
  20. mug — a face
  21. dip — to sink
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pop — music
  24. rash — a series

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