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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: suit · fall · wound · sharp · tube · stock · can · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. stock — shares
  3. can — a tin
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. suit — in cards
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. can — to be able to
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wound — an injury
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wound — an injury
  15. sharp — clever
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stock — goods
  18. fall — to drop
  19. can — a tin
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. fall — the season
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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