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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. clip — a video
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. clip — to cut
  19. net — for catching
  20. clip — for paper
  21. net — in sport
  22. stock — shares
  23. net — after costs
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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