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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. season — in sport
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rest — a break
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bore — to tire
  19. stock — goods
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. stock — shares
  22. season — of the year
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. rest — what's left

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