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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bear — the animal
  3. track — a song
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. track — a path
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stock — shares
  9. charge — in control
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bass — low music
  12. foot — a measure
  13. charge — a price
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bass — the fish
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stock — goods
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mine — for digging
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mine — an explosive

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