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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. suit — in cards
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. cap — a lid
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cap — of ice
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rest — a break
  12. cap — a hat
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. suit — clothes
  15. squash — to crush
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stock — shares
  20. squash — the sport
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wave — of the sea

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