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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
468
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: chest · spell · charge · club · rush · cabinet · stock · row

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. row — to paddle
  3. club — for dancing
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. chest — a box
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chest — of your body
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. club — for golf
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. row — a line
  15. spell — a short time
  16. club — a group
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stock — goods
  20. charge — a price
  21. stock — shares
  22. spell — magic
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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