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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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. lean — to rest against
  4. suit — to fit
  5. land — ground
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to bend
  10. spell — magic
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stock — shares
  13. bank — for money
  14. snap — to click
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. spell — letters
  21. land — a country
  22. suit — clothes
  23. spell — a short time
  24. lean — thin

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