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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — electricity
  5. cap — a lid
  6. march — music
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. march — the month
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. deal — to handle
  12. scale — in music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. cap — of ice
  16. charge — a price
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. march — the month
  22. scale — size or range
  23. stock — goods
  24. cap — a hat

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