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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: mouse · club · bear · current · charge · sharp · perch · stock

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stock — goods
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — in control
  5. club — a group
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. club — for golf
  8. charge — a price
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stock — shares
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. charge — electricity
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. sharp — clever
  17. current — of water
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. current — electric
  23. perch — the fish
  24. current — happening now

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