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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — a permit
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — a gift
  12. mate — a friend
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mate — a partner
  15. present — there
  16. sharp — clever
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. present — the time now
  24. pass — to succeed

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