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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. stock — goods
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. row — to paddle
  6. object — a thing
  7. stock — shares
  8. shower — to wash
  9. present — the time now
  10. lean — thin
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. shower — rain
  13. object — to protest
  14. cue — for pool
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cue — a hint
  17. object — an aim
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cue — a signal
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. lean — to bend

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