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

Word bank: race · fine · tube · stand · net · pit · stock · mug

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mug — to rob
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mug — a face
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fine — high quality
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. net — in sport
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fine — all right
  16. stand — to bear
  17. race — humankind
  18. stock — shares
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. net — after costs
  21. tube — a container
  22. tube — the underground
  23. net — for catching
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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