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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. dip — to sink
  7. stock — shares
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. cold — an illness
  12. rest — a break
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rest — what's left

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