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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — a price
  9. court — of a king
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stock — shares
  13. squash — to crush
  14. court — for sport
  15. board — a committee
  16. suit — clothes
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. squash — the sport
  19. board — to get on
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. court — of law
  23. suit — in cards
  24. charge — in control

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