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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. scale — in music
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. charge — in control
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — certain
  16. key — the most important part
  17. charge — a price
  18. key — in music
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. scale — size or range
  22. charge — electricity
  23. snap — to click
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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