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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stock — shares
  9. pit — in a race
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. cue — for pool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fine — all right
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ground — the earth
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pit — a hole

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