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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rock — a stone
  8. scale — size or range
  9. stock — shares
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. fine — all right
  12. track — a song
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. scale — in music
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. kick — in football
  20. stock — goods
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. kick — a thrill

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