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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 116 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. fall — the season
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stock — goods
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rash — hasty
  12. fall — to drop
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stock — shares
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stock — a soup base

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