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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. field — for sport
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. field — a subject
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. stock — goods
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. pound — a weight
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. net — after costs
  17. prune — to trim
  18. field — farmland
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. net — in sport
  22. stock — shares
  23. prune — to trim
  24. net — for catching

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