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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: bear · mark · arm · fine · stock · mine · bay · object

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stock — shares
  9. object — a thing
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fine — all right
  19. bear — the animal
  20. object — an aim
  21. bear — the animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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