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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. net — for catching
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mine — for digging
  6. net — in sport
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. net — after costs
  17. stock — shares
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mine — belonging to me

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