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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: object · charge · wind · rash · face · stock · field · mug

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. field — a subject
  3. object — to protest
  4. wind — moving air
  5. field — for sport
  6. stock — goods
  7. face — part of the head
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. object — an aim
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mug — a cup
  12. object — a thing
  13. rash — a series
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. stock — shares
  18. charge — a price
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rash — hasty
  22. field — farmland
  23. mug — a face
  24. wind — moving air

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