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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. march — music
  3. object — a thing
  4. stock — shares
  5. present — the time now
  6. march — the month
  7. firm — decided
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. present — there
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. object — an aim
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. present — a gift
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. march — the month
  16. firm — a company
  17. pitch — completely
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. object — to protest
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. firm — steady
  24. stock — a soup base

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