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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stock — shares
  4. charge — electricity
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stock — goods
  7. mug — a face
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cap — of ice
  10. charge — in control
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cap — a hat
  18. charge — a price
  19. mug — a cup
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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