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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. can — to be able to
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. perch — the fish
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stand — to bear
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. stock — shares
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. chair — a leader
  23. stock — goods
  24. temple — side of the head

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