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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · ground · charge · stock · row · tube · present · pit

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. ground — a position
  3. present — a gift
  4. row — to paddle
  5. present — there
  6. pit — a hole
  7. row — a line
  8. tube — a container
  9. stock — shares
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. charge — in control
  12. present — the time now
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — the earth
  16. charge — a price
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stock — goods
  23. tube — the underground
  24. row — a quarrel

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