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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. rash — a series
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. club — a group
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. pass — a permit
  10. saw — the tool
  11. club — for dancing
  12. snap — to click
  13. stock — goods
  14. rash — hasty
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wound — an injury
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wound — an injury
  22. club — for golf
  23. stock — shares
  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