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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stock — shares
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. squash — to crush
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. stock — goods
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mine — for digging
  24. pass — to succeed

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