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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stock — goods
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. dip — to sink
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. capital — a city
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stand — to bear
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stock — shares
  24. capital — money

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