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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stock — goods
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. court — of law
  6. rock — music
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. season — in sport
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. season — of the year
  12. pound — a weight
  13. charge — in control
  14. roll — a list
  15. court — for sport
  16. stock — shares
  17. roll — a cake
  18. court — of a king
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. charge — a price
  24. roll — on a roll

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