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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 116 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. rock — a stone
  3. court — for sport
  4. track — a song
  5. pass — a permit
  6. track — a path
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. court — of a king
  12. rock — music
  13. court — of law
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stock — shares
  17. track — to keep track
  18. suit — to fit
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. stock — goods
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rock — to move gently

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