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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. stock — goods
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bear — the animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stock — shares
  15. bound — certain
  16. land — ground
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bound — obliged
  20. land — a country
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pitcher — a jug

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