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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. spell — magic
  3. charge — a price
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. spell — a short time
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. charge — electricity
  11. spell — letters
  12. toast — bread
  13. scale — size or range
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. scale — in music
  16. stock — goods
  17. charge — in control
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stock — shares
  24. jam — to spread on 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