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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pitch — completely
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mark — a grade
  16. stock — shares
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cabinet — a cupboard

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