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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rest — a break
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rock — music
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rest — what's left
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stock — shares
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ball — a great time
  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