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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. suit — to fit
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. wax — to grow
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stock — shares
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. shower — rain
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. shower — to wash
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. rock — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. suit — in cards
  24. chair — a leader

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