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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: stick · stock · squash · track · coach · pound · charge · jam

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stock — shares
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. charge — electricity
  6. squash — to crush
  7. track — to keep track
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. squash — the sport
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. track — a song
  14. stock — goods
  15. charge — in control
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. track — a path
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. charge — a price
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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