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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ball — a great time
  7. tear — to rip
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tear — from crying
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. tear — from crying
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. charge — a price
  14. stock — goods
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. charge — electricity
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. charge — in control

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