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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. mug — to rob
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. track — a path
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. mug — a face
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. track — a song
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stock — shares

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