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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. roll — a cake
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stock — goods
  5. rest — a break
  6. stand — to bear
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. roll — a list
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stock — shares
  16. root — of a plant
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. scale — in music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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