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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. safe — a strongbox
  2. present — there
  3. last — finally
  4. present — the time now
  5. stock — goods
  6. track — a song
  7. rock — a stone
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stock — shares
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. last — final
  15. rock — music
  16. fine — all right
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. last — to go on
  21. fine — high quality
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pass — to spend time
  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