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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stock — goods
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. fall — the season
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. mate — a friend
  11. stock — shares
  12. charge — in control
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. fall — to drop

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