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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. charge — a price
  3. stock — shares
  4. present — the time now
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. present — a gift
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. charge — in control
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. root — of a word
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. root — the cause

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