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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stock — shares
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. chest — a box
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pop — to visit
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pop — music
  21. chest — of your body
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stock — goods
  24. pop — soda

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