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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pass — a permit
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stock — shares
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. row — to paddle
  19. fall — the season
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. can — a tin
  24. row — a line

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