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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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. race — the arms race
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. tube — the underground
  6. race — humankind
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. shower — rain
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — a container
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. race — a contest
  17. pass — a permit
  18. perch — the fish
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — shares
  21. shower — to wash
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. tube — in a tire

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