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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. track — a song
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — music
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. charge — in control
  10. tear — from crying
  11. object — to protest
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cap — a lid
  17. charge — electricity
  18. tear — to rip
  19. track — a path
  20. stock — goods
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. pop — to visit
  24. charge — a price

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