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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · leaves · firm · stick · pop · stock

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. file — a line of people
  3. firm — decided
  4. file — a document
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pop — music
  7. stock — shares
  8. pop — to visit
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pop — soda
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. file — a tool
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. firm — a company
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. firm — steady
  18. stock — goods

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