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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. clip — to cut
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. charge — electricity
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. stock — goods
  10. charge — a price
  11. row — to paddle
  12. deal — to handle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. firm — a company
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. clip — a video
  17. mark — a grade
  18. row — a line
  19. stock — shares
  20. clip — for paper
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. charge — in control

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