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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — goods
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. board — to get on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. board — a committee
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. march — the month

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