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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: spell · pass · pit · march · spring · suit · stock · bear

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. march — music
  8. spring — a coil
  9. suit — to fit
  10. spring — the season
  11. stock — goods
  12. spring — of water
  13. march — the month
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. march — the month
  17. spell — magic
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. spell — letters
  20. stock — shares
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pit — in a race

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