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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. land — ground
  3. suit — clothes
  4. firm — a company
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. firm — decided
  7. land — to come down
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rock — music
  14. land — a country
  15. tube — a container
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. suit — in cards
  18. can — to be able to
  19. stock — goods
  20. firm — steady
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. rock — a stone
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bowl — to roll

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