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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. saw — the tool
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. can — a tin
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. club — a group
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cold — not warm
  17. club — for dancing
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stock — shares
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. club — for golf
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. cold — an illness

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