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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — shares
  6. face — to confront
  7. row — to paddle
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — in control
  11. stock — goods
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. row — a line
  15. root — of a word
  16. charge — electricity
  17. root — the cause
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. face — to point toward
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bulb — for light
  24. root — of a plant

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