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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pass — a permit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mate — a friend
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. ball — a dance
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. deal — to handle
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mate — to breed
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stock — goods

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