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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
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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: coach · charge · file · stock · pass · bass

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — low music
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. file — a tool
  7. bass — the fish
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a line of people
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. charge — a price
  16. stock — goods
  17. charge — in control
  18. coach — pulled by horses

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