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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. key — in music
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stock — goods
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. land — ground
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. file — a tool
  14. stock — shares
  15. pass — a permit
  16. key — the most important part
  17. charge — a price
  18. file — a document
  19. land — to come down
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. land — a country
  22. bear — the animal
  23. file — a line of people
  24. pit — a hole

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