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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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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: suit · stock · spring · arm · rock · bear · chair · mug

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stock — goods
  4. spring — a coil
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. mug — a face
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. rock — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chair — a leader
  11. suit — in cards
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mug — a cup
  14. stock — shares
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. spring — of water
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mug — to rob
  23. spring — the season
  24. arm — part of the body

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