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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stock — goods
  3. bank — for money
  4. pit — in a race
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stock — shares
  11. bank — for money
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pit — a hole
  22. craft — boats
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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