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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. 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. stock — shares
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. march — the month
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. suit — clothes
  8. shower — rain
  9. fall — to drop
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stock — goods
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. shower — to wash
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. suit — to fit
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. 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