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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. charge — in control
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. branch — a division
  8. row — to paddle
  9. charge — electricity
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. scale — in music
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. stock — goods
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. current — of water
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. current — electric
  22. scale — size or range
  23. charge — a price
  24. current — happening now

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