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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stock — shares
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. season — of the year
  10. charge — a price
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. stock — goods
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. season — in sport
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. shower — to wash
  22. charge — in control
  23. mark — a trace
  24. shower — rain

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