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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. charge — electricity
  3. press — to push
  4. mug — to rob
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. charge — a price
  8. mug — a face
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stock — goods
  14. press — newspapers
  15. charge — in control
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bat — the animal
  18. track — a song
  19. stock — shares
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mug — a cup
  23. scale — in music
  24. track — a path

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