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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pop — music
  3. stock — shares
  4. bound — obliged
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. charge — in control
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — to visit
  15. ground — a position
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stock — goods
  19. race — the arms race
  20. charge — electricity
  21. race — humankind
  22. bound — certain
  23. race — a contest
  24. charge — a price

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