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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. board — a committee
  6. wound — an injury
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. ground — a position
  13. stock — shares
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. chair — a leader
  17. ground — crushed
  18. board — to get on
  19. saw — the tool
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rush — hurry
  24. saw — the tool

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