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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bound — obliged
  4. craft — boats
  5. stock — goods
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. craft — a skill
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. bound — certain
  13. stock — shares
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. charge — in control
  17. foot — a measure
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bound — tied together
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. prune — to trim
  22. charge — a price
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. craft — a handicraft

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