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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. charge — in control
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bear — the animal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stock — goods
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stock — shares
  22. deal — to handle
  23. perch — the fish
  24. charge — electricity

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