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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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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: rash · firm · foot · stick · mine · pit · pass · stock

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. pit — in a race
  3. firm — decided
  4. stock — goods
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rash — a series
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stock — shares
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mine — for digging
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. firm — steady
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. firm — a company
  24. pass — a permit

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