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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chest — of your body
  3. fork — in a road
  4. chest — a box
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stock — goods
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. wake — a trail
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stock — shares
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. fan — to cool the air

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