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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mark — a trace
  3. ground — a position
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ground — crushed
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. chest — a box
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chest — of your body
  19. stock — shares
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stock — goods
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ground — the earth

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