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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 120 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: pound · mug · suit · last · stock · row · can · charge

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. suit — in cards
  3. row — a line
  4. can — to be able to
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — in control
  9. mug — a cup
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pound — a weight
  12. last — final
  13. stock — goods
  14. last — finally
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. mug — a face
  17. can — a tin
  18. mug — to rob
  19. last — to go on
  20. can — a tin
  21. stock — shares
  22. charge — a price
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. row — to paddle

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