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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 120 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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. object — to protest
  6. pass — a permit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. object — a thing
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ground — a position
  14. stock — shares
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ground — crushed
  20. suit — to fit
  21. object — an aim
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ground — the earth

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