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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. pit — in a race
  3. spell — letters
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wound — an injury
  6. spell — magic
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. can — to be able to
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — decided
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. firm — a company
  15. spell — a short time
  16. can — a tin
  17. board — a committee
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. firm — steady
  21. pit — a hole
  22. board — to get on
  23. can — a tin
  24. stock — goods

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