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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. key — for a lock
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rest — what's left
  6. key — the most important part
  7. charge — in control
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. dip — to sink
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. stock — goods
  15. cap — a hat
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. cap — of ice
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. cap — a lid
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. key — in music
  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