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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: dip · trunk · net · suit · sharp · capital · race · stock

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. net — for catching
  3. sharp — clever
  4. race — the arms race
  5. suit — to fit
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stock — goods
  8. suit — clothes
  9. dip — to sink
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. capital — a city
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. suit — in cards
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. net — in sport
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. race — a contest
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. net — after costs
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stock — shares
  24. sharp — exactly

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