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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cold — an illness
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. charge — in control
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. drill — the tool
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stock — goods
  11. fine — all right
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. fine — high quality
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — not warm
  19. rest — a break
  20. drill — army training
  21. charge — a price
  22. rest — what's left
  23. drill — a practice
  24. dip — to dunk

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