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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 120 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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. swing — to play on
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pass — a permit
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. snap — to click
  24. calf — a young 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