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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. suit — in cards
  3. firm — decided
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. firm — a company
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bank — for money
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stock — goods
  14. pit — in a race
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. tube — a container
  17. suit — clothes
  18. firm — steady
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bank — for money
  24. suit — to fit

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