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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rush — hurry
  4. stock — goods
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. scale — in music
  10. stock — shares
  11. current — of water
  12. spell — magic
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pass — a permit
  15. spell — a short time
  16. current — happening now
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. spell — letters
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bark — to shout
  23. current — electric
  24. bark — of a tree

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