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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. club — for golf
  3. stock — shares
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. bear — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. club — for dancing
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. club — a group
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — ground
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. land — a country
  23. bear — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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