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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stock — goods
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. current — happening now
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. current — of water
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stock — shares
  16. charge — a price
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. date — the fruit
  20. current — electric
  21. charge — in control
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pass — to spend time

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