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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. spring — the season
  4. club — for golf
  5. fine — all right
  6. spring — a coil
  7. tube — a container
  8. stock — shares
  9. face — part of the head
  10. lean — thin
  11. tube — the underground
  12. fine — high quality
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. face — to point toward
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. face — to confront
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. spring — of water
  23. lean — to bend
  24. club — a group

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