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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. last — final
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. suit — in cards
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. cue — for pool
  7. last — to go on
  8. bear — the animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bear — the animal
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cue — a signal
  18. last — finally
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stock — shares
  24. board — a committee

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