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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. last — final
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. firm — steady
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. firm — decided
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. charge — a price
  9. last — finally
  10. stock — shares
  11. stand — to bear
  12. firm — a company
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. last — to go on
  15. stock — goods
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. vault — a safe
  18. charge — in control

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