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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  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. stock — goods
  2. suit — clothes
  3. stock — shares
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fall — the season
  10. suit — in cards
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. tear — to rip
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. tear — from crying
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stock — a soup base
  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