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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bat — the animal
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. ground — the earth
  12. stock — goods
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pop — music
  17. ground — a position
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. stock — shares
  20. pop — soda
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pass — a permit

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