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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stock — goods
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stand — to bear
  17. field — a subject
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. field — for sport
  20. stock — shares
  21. branch — a division
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. field — farmland
  24. foot — a measure

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