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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: stock · lean · rest · pop · suit · hand · tear · track

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lean — to bend
  5. stock — goods
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pop — to visit
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. rest — a break
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stock — shares
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pop — soda
  17. hand — help
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pop — music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. track — a song
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lean — thin
  24. track — a path

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