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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pound — a weight
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. charge — a price
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. charge — in control
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stock — goods
  19. date — the fruit
  20. branch — a division
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pitch — completely
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stock — shares

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