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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for dancing
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. object — a thing
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. club — for golf
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. charge — in control
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. charge — a price
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stock — goods

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