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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. saw — the tool
  11. scale — in music
  12. tear — to rip
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lean — to bend
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. scale — size or range
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stock — shares
  20. rash — hasty
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. rash — a series
  24. stock — a soup base

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