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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bass — low music
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bass — the fish
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stock — goods
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bear — the animal

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