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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fine — all right
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — a subject
  5. charge — a price
  6. fine — high quality
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mug — a face
  12. stock — shares
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fall — the season
  15. field — farmland
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stock — goods
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. charge — in control
  21. fall — to drop
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. fall — to drop
  24. leaves — to go away

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