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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. current — happening now
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stock — shares
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stock — goods
  15. pit — a hole
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bark — to shout
  20. pit — in a race
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. charge — in control
  24. trunk — of a car

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