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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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468
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: ball · mouse · stock · scale · bank · perch · charge · track

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. charge — a price
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bank — of a river
  6. ball — a great time
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — in music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stock — shares
  21. track — a path
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. track — a song
  24. bank — for money

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