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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. land — ground
  5. root — of a word
  6. wound — an injury
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cell — in biology
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. land — to come down
  16. wound — an injury
  17. root — of a plant
  18. land — a country
  19. perch — the fish
  20. root — the cause
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. cell — a phone
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. perch — for a bird

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