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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · saw · rest · mate · stand · fan · stock · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mate — a friend
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rest — a break
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. key — in music
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stock — shares
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stock — goods
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. key — for a lock

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