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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. staff — employees
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. wax — to grow
  5. staff — employees
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. stock — shares
  9. season — of the year
  10. rash — hasty
  11. suit — clothes
  12. foot — a measure
  13. staff — a stick
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. season — in sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. rash — a series
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. suit — to fit
  24. foot — the bottom

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