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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. stock — shares
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wind — moving air
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. face — to point toward
  11. snap — to click
  12. stock — goods
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wind — moving air
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. root — the cause
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. root — of a word
  23. pass — a permit
  24. root — of a plant

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