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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: can · mug · foot · shower · cell · stock · suit · spring

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. spring — a coil
  4. can — a tin
  5. cell — a phone
  6. spring — of water
  7. shower — rain
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. cell — in biology
  10. mug — a face
  11. can — a tin
  12. shower — to wash
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stock — shares
  15. mug — to rob
  16. suit — clothes
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. spring — the season
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. can — to be able to
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stock — goods
  24. foot — a measure

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