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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.

Words on the sheet
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: stock · chair · hide · race · charge · track · bay · can

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. track — a song
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. race — the arms race
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. can — a tin
  9. track — a path
  10. can — to be able to
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. race — a contest
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. charge — in control
  15. stock — shares
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. race — humankind
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. track — to keep track
  23. can — a tin
  24. charge — a price

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