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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stock — goods
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — for sport
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. field — farmland
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bulb — for light
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bore — to tire
  17. toast — bread
  18. track — a song
  19. stock — shares
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — a price
  24. track — a path

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