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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. board — to get on
  3. mug — to rob
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. capital — money
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — a face
  10. stock — goods
  11. can — to be able to
  12. track — a song
  13. mug — a cup
  14. capital — a city
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — a list
  18. board — a committee
  19. track — to keep track
  20. can — a tin
  21. track — a path
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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