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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 116 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. last — final
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stock — goods
  6. last — finally
  7. wake — a trail
  8. suit — to fit
  9. root — of a word
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. root — of a plant
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pass — a permit
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. last — to go on
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. root — the cause
  21. stock — shares
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. dip — to dunk

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