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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. charge — electricity
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stock — shares
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. charge — in control
  9. craft — a skill
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. staff — a stick
  12. tube — a container
  13. stand — to bear
  14. craft — boats
  15. stock — goods
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. charge — a price
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. tube — the underground

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