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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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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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. stock — shares
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. file — a document
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. key — in music
  10. file — a tool
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. toast — bread
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wake — a trail

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