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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. pass — a permit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. firm — a company
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. firm — steady
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. capital — a city
  12. stock — shares
  13. capital — money
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. season — of the year
  16. race — humankind
  17. stock — goods
  18. race — the arms race
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. season — in sport
  21. race — a contest
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. firm — decided

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