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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. fork — in a road
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stock — goods
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bound — certain
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rash — hasty
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stock — shares

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