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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. stock — shares
  5. land — ground
  6. can — a tin
  7. bass — low music
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. land — a country
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. land — to come down
  15. root — of a word
  16. staff — a stick
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. root — the cause
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. root — of a plant
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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