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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. stock — shares
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. cell — a phone
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cell — in biology
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — a permit
  18. degree — temperature
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cell — in a prison
  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