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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rest — what's left
  4. date — the fruit
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. swing — to play on
  8. stock — shares
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — in control
  12. swing — music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pound — a weight
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stock — goods
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bank — for money
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bank — for money

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