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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · field · mug · roll · shower · object · stock · cabinet

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. object — to protest
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stock — shares
  7. shower — rain
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. object — a thing
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. field — farmland
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mug — to rob
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. field — a subject
  17. roll — a list
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mug — a face
  21. roll — a cake
  22. stock — goods
  23. object — an aim
  24. field — for sport

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