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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. fall — the season
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. fall — to drop
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fall — to drop
  19. stock — goods
  20. club — for dancing
  21. stock — shares
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mate — a partner

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