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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. band — a ring
  3. stock — goods
  4. charge — in control
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. suit — clothes
  7. charge — a price
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. season — in sport
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. bore — to drill
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. band — a music group
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stock — shares
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. charge — electricity
  21. season — of the year
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. prune — to trim
  24. suit — in cards

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