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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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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: chip · mate · rule · straw · pass · present · stock · toast

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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 — a permit
  2. present — the time now
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. present — there
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. present — a gift
  14. stock — shares
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mate — a partner
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rule — a law
  20. chip — for betting
  21. stock — goods
  22. toast — bread
  23. rule — government
  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