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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. charge — a price
  3. stock — shares
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. key — for a lock
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. track — a song
  13. can — a tin
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — child
  18. board — a committee
  19. key — the most important part
  20. dip — to sink
  21. stock — goods
  22. key — in music
  23. track — a path
  24. can — to be able to

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