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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. current — of water
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. current — electric
  7. pitch — completely
  8. stock — shares
  9. game — a match
  10. rest — what's left
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. current — happening now
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. stock — goods
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. rest — a break
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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