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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. present — there
  10. sharp — clever
  11. present — a gift
  12. stock — shares
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wake — a trail
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. present — the time now
  20. toast — bread
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stock — goods
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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