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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. degree — an amount
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bank — for money
  10. suit — clothes
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. degree — temperature
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. degree — from a university
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stock — shares

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