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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: wake · race · mark · stock · arm · chair · kick · can

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. can — a tin
  7. stock — shares
  8. kick — in football
  9. wake — a trail
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. can — to be able to
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. can — a tin
  16. race — a contest
  17. chair — a leader
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. stock — goods
  24. kick — a thrill

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