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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stock — goods
  3. present — a gift
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stock — shares
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rush — hurry
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. wind — moving air
  24. suit — in cards

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