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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. present — there
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mate — a friend
  14. present — the time now
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stock — goods
  19. present — a gift
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stock — shares
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stock — a soup base

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