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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. race — humankind
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. firm — a company
  6. stock — shares
  7. race — a contest
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. spring — the season
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. race — the arms race
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. lean — thin
  22. firm — decided
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. firm — steady

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