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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. net — after costs
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. net — in sport
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. suit — to fit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wake — a trail
  12. rest — what's left
  13. object — to protest
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. fork — in a road
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rest — a break
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. suit — in cards
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. net — for catching

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