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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. charge — in control
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. charge — electricity
  5. last — finally
  6. object — a thing
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. charge — a price
  9. scale — in music
  10. object — to protest
  11. dip — to sink
  12. object — an aim
  13. last — final
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. suit — to fit
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. suit — clothes
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. stock — goods
  20. stem — to come from
  21. scale — size or range
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. suit — in cards
  24. last — to go on

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