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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 116 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. cap — a hat
  3. stock — shares
  4. cap — a lid
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spell — a short time
  8. club — for golf
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cap — of ice
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. spell — letters
  16. ground — a position
  17. club — a group
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ground — the earth
  23. spell — magic
  24. pitcher — a jug

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