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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. staff — employees
  5. stock — goods
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pit — in a race
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pit — a hole
  15. charge — a price
  16. pop — soda
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — in control
  20. staff — employees
  21. stock — shares
  22. pop — music
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. perch — for a bird

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