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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 120 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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. stock — goods
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. charge — in control
  11. staff — employees
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. charge — electricity
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stock — shares
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. charge — a price
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. tear — from crying
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pitch — a sports field

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