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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stock — shares
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. ground — the earth
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. ground — a position
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — a weight
  12. stock — goods
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rock — music
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. stock — a soup base

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