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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. stock — shares
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. land — ground
  7. stock — goods
  8. land — to come down
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. land — a country
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pass — a permit
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. saw — the tool
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rush — hurry
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. dip — to dunk

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