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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. capital — money
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stock — goods
  9. capital — a city
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stock — shares
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — to shout
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — a price
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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