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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. stock — shares
  3. rash — a series
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. object — an aim
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. object — to protest
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bass — the fish
  10. charge — electricity
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. season — of the year
  17. craft — boats
  18. charge — in control
  19. season — in sport
  20. bass — low music
  21. charge — a price
  22. rash — hasty
  23. object — a thing
  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