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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stock — shares
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. ground — the earth
  8. snap — to click
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. charge — a price
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. stock — goods
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. ground — crushed
  16. charge — electricity
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chair — a leader
  21. charge — in control
  22. ground — a position
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. chair — to sit 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