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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. prune — to trim
  4. net — after costs
  5. suit — in cards
  6. net — for catching
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. suit — clothes
  9. land — ground
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. net — in sport
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stock — shares
  14. land — a country
  15. stand — to bear
  16. land — to come down
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mouse — for a computer

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