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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stock — shares
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. shower — to wash
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bound — certain
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. mark — a grade
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. suit — to fit
  18. shower — rain
  19. rash — a series
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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