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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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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stock — goods
  7. lean — thin
  8. ball — a great time
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stock — shares
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. pass — to spend 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