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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stock — goods
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. stock — shares
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. pass — a permit

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