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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. scale — in music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. roll — a list
  6. mark — a grade
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. stock — goods
  10. charge — electricity
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. roll — a cake
  14. charge — a price
  15. row — to paddle
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. scale — size or range
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. row — a line
  22. stock — shares
  23. mark — a trace
  24. charge — in control

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