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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bark — to shout
  9. squash — the sport
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. lie — to recline
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. squash — to crush
  16. charge — in control
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. charge — a price
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cue — a signal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. safe — a strongbox

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