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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spring — a coil
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stock — shares
  8. bear — the animal
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. spring — of water
  11. rash — a series
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. spring — the season
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rash — hasty
  20. staff — employees
  21. stock — goods
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. coach — a trainer

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