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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: bank · fine · rest · pass · safe · stock · trunk · race

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. race — humankind
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rest — a break
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bank — for money
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fine — high quality
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bank — of a river
  17. race — a contest
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bank — for money
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. race — the arms race
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pass — a permit

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