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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. charge — electricity
  11. wind — moving air
  12. charge — a price
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stock — shares
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pit — in a race
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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