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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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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: drill · toast · stock · cap · fan · spring · squash · safe

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. stock — shares
  3. cap — of ice
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cap — a hat
  7. spring — of water
  8. squash — to crush
  9. drill — army training
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cap — a lid
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stock — goods
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. spring — a coil
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — a practice
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — bread
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. fan — a supporter

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