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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. stock — goods
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stock — shares
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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