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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. tube — a container
  3. stock — shares
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stock — goods
  6. object — an aim
  7. cell — a phone
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fine — all right
  15. object — a thing
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. club — a group
  18. cell — in biology
  19. object — to protest
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. club — for golf
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. leaves — of a tree

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