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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. fall — the season
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. stock — goods
  7. ground — crushed
  8. craft — a skill
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. tube — the underground
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. tube — a container
  16. rush — hurry
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ground — a position
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. craft — boats
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stock — shares
  24. temple — a place of worship

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