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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: stock · cap · leaves · mouse · bat · fan · pit · charge

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pit — in a race
  5. charge — a price
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pit — a hole
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stock — goods
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stock — shares
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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