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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. charge — electricity
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stock — goods
  10. pit — a hole
  11. lean — thin
  12. charge — in control
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pit — in a race
  16. chair — a leader
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lean — to bend
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stock — shares
  22. swing — music
  23. charge — a price
  24. saw — the tool

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