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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. clip — a video
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rock — a stone
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — for paper
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rock — music
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mouse — the animal

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