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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pass — a permit
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stock — shares
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — to grow
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stock — goods
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. chip — for betting
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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