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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pass — a permit
  3. file — a document
  4. season — of the year
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. stock — goods
  9. file — a line of people
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. stock — shares
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. file — a tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. season — in sport
  24. stock — a soup base

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