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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. roll — a list
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stock — goods
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stock — shares
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. object — an aim
  11. march — the month
  12. object — a thing
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. pitch — completely
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. rash — a series
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. march — the month
  22. object — to protest
  23. march — music
  24. stand — for spectators

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