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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mug — a face
  3. charge — electricity
  4. race — humankind
  5. present — a gift
  6. race — a contest
  7. present — there
  8. mug — to rob
  9. root — of a word
  10. charge — in control
  11. root — of a plant
  12. race — the arms race
  13. root — the cause
  14. charge — a price
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. mug — a cup
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. net — after costs
  21. stock — goods
  22. net — in sport
  23. stock — shares
  24. present — the time now

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