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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stock — shares
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stock — goods

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