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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. spell — a short time
  3. stock — goods
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. charge — in control
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lean — thin
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. cap — a hat
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bass — low music
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. stock — shares
  23. cap — a lid
  24. lean — to bend

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