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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: pass · ball · stock · can · saw · straw · clip · mate

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. clip — to cut
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stock — goods
  9. saw — the tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. clip — a video
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. can — a tin
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mate — a friend
  18. ball — a dance
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stock — shares

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