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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rest — what's left
  3. roll — a list
  4. stock — goods
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stock — shares
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rest — a break
  17. capital — a city
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. roll — a cake
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. capital — a big letter

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