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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 116 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. stock — shares
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stock — goods
  6. board — to get on
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bound — certain
  9. board — a committee
  10. cap — of ice
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. tube — a container
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. tube — the underground
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. cap — a hat
  24. sharp — exactly

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