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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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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. spell — magic
  3. charge — electricity
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. charge — a price
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. board — to get on
  10. charge — in control
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stock — goods
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. branch — a division

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