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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: arm · stand · mate · ball · safe · wind · stock · mark

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stock — shares
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mate — to breed
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mate — a partner
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mark — a grade
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. stock — goods
  24. mate — a friend

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