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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. cue — a hint
  3. charge — in control
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bound — certain
  6. lean — thin
  7. row — a line
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cue — for pool
  10. row — to paddle
  11. lean — to bend
  12. stock — goods
  13. bore — to drill
  14. game — a match
  15. bore — to tire
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — tied together
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. charge — a price
  23. stock — shares
  24. game — a kind of play

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