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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. date — the fruit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. present — there
  10. bass — low music
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stock — goods
  18. pit — in a race
  19. saw — the tool
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. present — the time now
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. present — a gift

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