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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stock — goods
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. ball — a great time
  5. wake — a trail
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bore — to drill
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. press — newspapers
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bore — to tire
  18. stock — shares
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. land — to come down
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. suit — in cards

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