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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bank — of a river
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. bank — for money
  6. stock — goods
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. stock — shares
  12. foot — a measure
  13. cap — a hat
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bank — for money
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. cap — a lid
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. plane — an aircraft

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