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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 120 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. charge — in control
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stock — shares
  5. mug — to rob
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — a price
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mug — a cup
  13. kick — in football
  14. fall — the season
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mug — a face
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stock — goods
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. row — a line
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — a thrill

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