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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — hurry
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. game — a match
  16. fine — all right
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stock — goods
  21. game — wild animals
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rush — to hurry

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