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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. spell — magic

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