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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. charge — a price
  3. present — a gift
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. present — there
  12. face — to confront
  13. net — after costs
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fork — in a road
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. face — to point toward
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. charge — in control
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. face — part of the head
  24. charge — electricity

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