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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: pop · mate · charge · pass · racket · bore · stock · plane

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mate — a partner
  4. pass — a permit
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pop — music
  7. charge — in control
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. stock — goods
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stock — shares
  14. pop — soda
  15. bore — to drill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mate — to breed
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. plane — a tool

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