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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bat — the animal
  4. charge — in control
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stock — goods
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stock — shares
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. present — the time now
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — there
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. present — a gift
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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