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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · drill · stock · pass · pop · kick · rest · bowl

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. drill — army training
  3. stock — goods
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. stock — shares
  6. pop — soda
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. drill — a practice
  9. rest — a break
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. kick — in football
  13. pop — music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. stock — a soup base

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