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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. charge — a price
  5. root — the cause
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — for sport
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stock — goods
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. wake — a trail
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stock — shares
  15. rock — music
  16. can — to be able to
  17. charge — in control
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. court — of law
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rock — a stone
  24. root — of a word

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