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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: stock · firm · row · rock · mark · can · stick · wind

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. firm — steady
  3. stock — goods
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. firm — decided
  9. row — a line
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. stock — shares
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mark — a trace
  21. wind — moving air
  22. can — a tin
  23. firm — a company
  24. rock — music

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