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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. shower — rain
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stock — shares
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stock — goods
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. shower — to wash
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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