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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rock — a stone
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. press — to push
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rock — music
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. press — newspapers
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rock — to move gently

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