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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stock — goods
  10. march — music
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. march — the month
  13. bear — the animal
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stock — shares
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. march — the month
  19. spell — letters
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bear — the animal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. toast — bread

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