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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: leaves · suit · rest · mate · shower · safe · ball · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. shower — rain
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — to fit
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. suit — in cards
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. shower — to wash
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stock — goods
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mate — to breed
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mate — a friend
  24. ball — a great time

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