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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fall — the season
  4. rash — a series
  5. can — a tin
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. rash — hasty
  9. club — for golf
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. club — a group
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. can — to be able to
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stock — shares
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rash — on the skin

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