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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. spell — magic
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. saw — the tool
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. spell — letters
  7. mug — a cup
  8. cue — a hint
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chair — a leader
  11. saw — the tool
  12. date — the fruit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mug — a face
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cue — for pool
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cue — a signal
  24. spell — a short time

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