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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. file — a tool
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. file — a document
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. file — a line of people
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rock — music
  24. safe — out of danger

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