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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. roll — a list
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stock — goods
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mate — to breed
  10. cap — a lid
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ground — the earth
  18. charge — a price
  19. ground — crushed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. ground — a position
  23. stock — shares
  24. roll — a cake

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