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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 116 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. charge — in control
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. stock — goods
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stock — shares
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. charge — a price
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. row — to paddle
  18. game — a match
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. can — a tin
  22. game — wild animals
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. row — a line

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