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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stock — goods
  3. staff — employees
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. club — a group
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. club — for golf
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. content — happy
  13. wake — a trail
  14. charge — a price
  15. stock — shares
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. charge — in control
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. staff — a stick
  20. charge — electricity
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. club — for dancing
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. content — the amount

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