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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. ground — crushed
  7. season — in sport
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stock — goods
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ground — a position
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. stock — shares
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mark — a trace
  24. suit — to fit

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