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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: suit · spring · rush · stock · degree · charge · cap · band

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. suit — clothes
  6. band — a music group
  7. cap — a lid
  8. stock — shares
  9. degree — temperature
  10. cap — of ice
  11. band — a ring
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rush — hurry
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. suit — to fit
  17. degree — from a university
  18. spring — the season
  19. degree — an amount
  20. charge — electricity
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. spring — of water
  24. cap — a hat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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