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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. row — a line
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. row — to paddle
  5. saw — the tool
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. tear — from crying
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. tear — from crying
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mate — to breed
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. tear — to rip
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. mate — a partner
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mate — a friend
  20. toast — bread
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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