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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stock — goods
  4. rock — music
  5. deal — to handle
  6. field — a subject
  7. stock — shares
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. charge — in control
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bear — the animal
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. field — farmland
  20. snap — to click
  21. charge — a price
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. field — for sport

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