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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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stock — goods
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bore — to tire
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rash — hasty
  7. firm — steady
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rash — a series
  11. firm — decided
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. sharp — clever
  14. firm — a company
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pound — a weight
  19. charge — electricity
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. pound — to hit hard

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