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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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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: charge · board · race · cabinet · wind · stock

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. stock — goods
  4. board — a committee
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stock — shares
  7. charge — in control
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. race — humankind
  10. board — to get on
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wind — moving air
  15. race — a contest
  16. charge — electricity
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. charge — a price

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