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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 120 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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. file — a document
  3. firm — decided
  4. stock — shares
  5. firm — a company
  6. charge — in control
  7. file — a tool
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mark — a grade
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. charge — a price
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. dip — to sink
  15. scale — in music
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mark — a trace
  23. firm — steady
  24. mark — to pay attention

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