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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. perch — the fish
  3. charge — a price
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stock — shares
  6. spell — magic
  7. track — to keep track
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rule — government
  11. track — a path
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. track — a song
  14. stock — goods
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. charge — electricity
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. spell — letters
  22. charge — in control
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rule — a law

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