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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pitch — completely
  4. stock — shares
  5. ground — the earth
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rock — a stone
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. firm — a company
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stock — goods
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rock — music
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. ground — a position
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pass — a permit

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