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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stock — goods
  5. chip — for betting
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stock — shares
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ball — a dance
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. prune — the fruit
  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