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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — to go on
  4. kick — in football
  5. suit — in cards
  6. can — a tin
  7. suit — to fit
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. last — finally
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. suit — clothes
  13. last — final
  14. can — to be able to
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fine — high quality
  17. kid — child
  18. stock — shares
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. fine — all right

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