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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mark — a trace
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stock — shares
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. stock — goods
  19. craft — boats
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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