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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. drill — army training
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. stock — goods
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. pit — in a race
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. charge — a price
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bore — to tire
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bore — to drill
  16. drill — a practice
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. charge — in control
  20. bound — certain
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. cabinet — ministers

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