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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.

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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: fan · suit · mark · shower · sharp · firm · prune · stock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. prune — to trim
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. stock — shares
  5. firm — decided
  6. shower — to wash
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stock — goods
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. sharp — clever
  17. firm — a company
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. suit — to fit
  23. shower — rain
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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