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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stock — shares
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rock — music
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stock — goods
  8. suit — clothes
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pass — a permit
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fine — all right
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. fine — high quality
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. straw — a straw man

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