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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. firm — steady
  3. squash — the sport
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stock — goods
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. firm — decided
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. firm — a company
  20. stand — to bear
  21. game — a match
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. game — wild animals
  24. pit — a hole

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