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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. tube — the underground
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stock — goods
  5. pop — to visit
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. charge — in control
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. stock — shares
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. charge — a price
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. charge — electricity
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pop — music

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