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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. land — to come down
  3. wax — to grow
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. land — ground
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bank — for money
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mark — a trace
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bank — for money
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. land — a country
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pass — a permit

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