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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stock — goods
  5. tube — a container
  6. wake — a trail
  7. stock — shares
  8. march — the month
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. march — the month
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. game — a match
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. march — music
  24. tube — in a tire

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