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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. stock — goods
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bulb — for light
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bulb — for light
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. degree — temperature
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. degree — from a university
  17. stock — shares
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bear — the animal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cap — a lid
  23. toast — bread
  24. pass — a permit

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