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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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stock — shares
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mark — a grade
  9. season — in sport
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. stock — goods
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — a measure
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mark — a trace
  19. prune — to trim
  20. season — of the year
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. prune — to trim
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. nail — for a hammer

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