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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 120 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. spell — magic
  3. stock — shares
  4. current — happening now
  5. pound — a weight
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. firm — decided
  9. current — of water
  10. stock — goods
  11. pass — a permit
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. current — electric
  22. root — of a word
  23. spell — letters
  24. stand — on your feet

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