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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. charge — in control
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. charge — a price
  6. stock — goods
  7. spring — the season
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — a grade
  11. spring — a coil
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — a line
  14. charge — electricity
  15. last — to go on
  16. spring — of water
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stock — shares
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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