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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rest — what's left
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. charge — in control
  7. stock — shares
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mug — a cup
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. mug — a face
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rest — a break
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stock — goods
  21. chair — a leader
  22. toast — bread
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stock — a soup base

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