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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. spell — letters
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. spell — magic
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fine — all right
  11. stock — shares
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. track — a path
  15. stock — goods
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. track — a song
  18. spell — a short time
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. present — a gift
  24. bowl — to roll

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