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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. press — a publisher
  8. craft — a skill
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. craft — boats
  12. press — newspapers
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. press — to push
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stock — shares
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — clever
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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