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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rash — a series
  3. stock — goods
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pit — in a race
  6. vault — a safe
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rash — hasty
  12. capital — money
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pit — a hole
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. capital — a city
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stock — shares
  22. pass — a permit
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. leaves — lets stay

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