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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 116 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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. fine — all right
  4. bound — tied together
  5. land — to come down
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stock — shares
  9. land — ground
  10. saw — the tool
  11. season — in sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. season — of the year
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stock — goods
  18. bound — obliged
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. land — a country
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bound — certain

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