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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bowl · stock · suit · cap · bear · fan · mark · arm

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mark — a trace
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stock — shares
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cap — a lid
  19. stock — goods
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cap — of ice
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bear — the animal

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