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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stock — goods
  3. snap — to click
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. cap — a lid
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cap — a hat
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stock — shares
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bark — to shout
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rush — hurry
  23. scale — size or range
  24. cap — of ice

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