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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mark — a trace
  8. sharp — clever
  9. staff — employees
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stock — shares
  13. staff — a stick
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mine — for digging
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. staff — employees
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rush — 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