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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 120 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. charge — electricity
  3. clip — a video
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stock — goods
  6. shower — rain
  7. charge — in control
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. clip — for paper
  11. pit — a hole
  12. clip — to cut
  13. stock — shares
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. can — to be able to
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. charge — a price
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. can — a tin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. can — a tin
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. shower — to wash

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