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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mug — a cup
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. saw — the tool
  9. charge — a price
  10. band — a ring
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mug — a face
  13. stock — goods
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. band — a music group
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. mate — to breed
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mug — to rob
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stand — to bear

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