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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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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: race · lie · pop · stock · mug · firm · deal · charge

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. firm — a company
  12. pop — soda
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mug — to rob
  15. charge — in control
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stock — goods
  19. race — the arms race
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — a price
  22. firm — steady
  23. stock — shares
  24. race — humankind

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