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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fall — the season
  3. present — there
  4. stock — goods
  5. suit — clothes
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. fall — to drop
  9. suit — in cards
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wake — a trail
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — the underground
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. spell — magic
  23. stock — shares
  24. present — a gift

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