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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. charge — in control
  4. fine — high quality
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stock — shares
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stock — goods
  17. club — for golf
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. club — for dancing
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fine — all right
  22. shower — rain
  23. march — the month
  24. club — a group

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