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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lean — to bend
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — goods
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. branch — a division
  12. snap — to click
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lean — thin
  24. bowl — to roll

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