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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. suit — in cards
  3. face — to confront
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. march — the month
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mark — a grade
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. march — the month
  15. suit — to fit
  16. face — part of the head
  17. stock — shares
  18. face — to point toward
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mark — a trace
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. march — music

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