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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. stock — shares
  3. bound — certain
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rash — a series
  6. drill — army training
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bound — obliged
  9. charge — in control
  10. rash — hasty
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — bread
  13. drill — the tool
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bound — tied together
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. charge — a price
  20. stock — goods
  21. fine — all right
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to 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