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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: foot · fan · mouse · land · pass · pit · wake · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. land — to come down
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pass — a permit
  16. land — ground
  17. land — a country
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fan — a supporter

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