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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. firm — a company
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pound — a weight
  7. firm — steady
  8. wax — to grow
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stock — goods
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. stock — shares
  14. row — to paddle
  15. charge — in control
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. toast — bread
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. charge — a price
  21. firm — decided
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wax — in the ear

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