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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. march — the month
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stock — goods
  7. spring — of water
  8. mark — a trace
  9. spell — magic
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stock — shares
  12. spring — the season
  13. mark — a grade
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. spring — a coil
  17. march — the month
  18. spell — letters
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. march — music
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. charge — in control
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. charge — a price

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