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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. present — a gift
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stock — shares
  5. can — a tin
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. present — the time now
  12. can — a tin
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. present — there
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rash — a series
  20. cap — a lid
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stock — goods
  24. cap — of ice

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