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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. march — the month
  6. track — to keep track
  7. march — the month
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. track — a path
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. track — a song
  16. stock — goods
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bat — the animal
  20. march — music
  21. stock — shares
  22. rush — hurry
  23. suit — clothes
  24. straw — a straw man

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