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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pop — music
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stock — shares
  8. charge — electricity
  9. root — of a word
  10. roll — a list
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. root — the cause
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rule — a law
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pop — soda
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. charge — a price
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rule — government
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. charge — in control
  24. pop — to visit

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