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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. land — to come down
  4. ball — a dance
  5. charge — in control
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stock — shares
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stock — goods
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bass — the fish
  16. charge — electricity
  17. land — a country
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. charge — a price
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. land — ground
  24. bass — low 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