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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. lean — to bend
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stock — shares
  8. can — a tin
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. charge — electricity
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. charge — in control
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stock — goods
  15. lean — thin
  16. cap — of ice
  17. chip — for betting
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. sharp — clever
  24. charge — a price

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