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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pit — in a race
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rock — music
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lean — thin
  18. stock — goods
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stock — shares
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wake — a trail
  24. lash — an eyelash

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