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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.

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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: kick · track · mark · press · charge · fine · cap · stock

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cap — of ice
  3. stock — goods
  4. press — to push
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. charge — a price
  8. track — a path
  9. fine — all right
  10. mark — a grade
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stock — shares
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. track — a song
  15. cap — a hat
  16. track — to keep track
  17. kick — in football
  18. charge — in control
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mark — a trace
  24. kick — with a leg

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