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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 116 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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rock — music
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stock — goods
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. charge — in control
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rest — a break
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stock — shares
  24. bowl — to roll

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