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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. race — humankind
  3. suit — in cards
  4. race — a contest
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. suit — to fit
  7. band — a music group
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. suit — clothes
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. stock — shares
  18. band — a ring
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chip — to eat
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. chip — for betting

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