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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: mouse · stock · track · squash · court · straw · temple · charge

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. track — a path
  5. squash — the sport
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. squash — to crush
  9. charge — in control
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. stock — shares
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stock — goods
  14. charge — a price
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. track — a song
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of law
  23. track — to keep track
  24. court — of a king

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