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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: stick · safe · season · mark · bay · chest · stock · fall

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fall — to drop
  3. season — of the year
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chest — a box
  8. mark — a grade
  9. fall — the season
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stock — shares
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. season — in sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. chest — of your body
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chest — of your body
  24. safe — a strongbox

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