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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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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: tube · lean · stock · saw · mug · fine · rush · wound

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stock — goods
  3. fine — high quality
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. tube — a container
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mug — a cup
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wound — an injury
  10. lean — to bend
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. lean — thin
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stock — shares
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — all right
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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