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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rest — a break
  3. field — for sport
  4. object — a thing
  5. field — farmland
  6. rest — what's left
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. object — to protest
  10. field — a subject
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. stock — shares
  14. object — an aim
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mate — to breed
  17. charge — in control
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stock — goods
  21. mate — a partner
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mate — a friend
  24. dip — to sink

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