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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stock — shares
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rush — hurry
  11. track — a path
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wake — a trail
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. track — a song
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wake — before a funeral

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