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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. dip — to sink
  4. sharp — clever
  5. band — a ring
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stock — shares
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. charge — a price
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. charge — electricity
  12. branch — a division
  13. stock — goods
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stand — to bear
  20. band — a music group
  21. charge — in control
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. band — a rubber band

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