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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. court — for sport
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fall — to drop
  13. court — of law
  14. court — of a king
  15. kid — to tease
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. fall — the season
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kid — child

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