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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 124 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fall — to drop
  4. roll — a cake
  5. stock — goods
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. lean — thin
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lean — to bend
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fall — the season
  14. roll — a list
  15. toast — bread
  16. pop — music
  17. pop — soda
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bore — to tire
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pop — to visit
  24. lean — to rest against

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