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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bat — the animal
  4. stock — shares
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fine — high quality
  10. firm — steady
  11. stock — goods
  12. firm — a company
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. fine — all right
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. firm — decided
  24. jam — a tight spot

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