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

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rock — music
  17. charge — a price
  18. cabinet — ministers

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