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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. charge — electricity
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rash — hasty
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stock — goods
  13. rash — a series
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. charge — a price
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stock — shares
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — temperature
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. degree — an amount
  24. pass — a permit

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