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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stock — goods
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. court — for sport
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. court — of law
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. court — of a king
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. march — music
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. march — the month
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rush — hurry
  21. march — the month
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — shares

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