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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fall — the season
  4. stock — goods
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. board — a committee
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rock — music
  15. staff — employees
  16. last — final
  17. rock — a stone
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. foot — a measure
  20. fall — to drop
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. board — to get on
  23. stock — shares
  24. fall — to drop

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