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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rock — a stone
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. key — the most important part
  6. tube — the underground
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stock — goods
  11. rock — music
  12. key — in music
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. charge — in control
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. tube — a container
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. charge — a price
  24. snap — to click

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