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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
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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: bank · stock · wake · key · bore · hide · charge · kick

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. bore — to drill
  2. charge — a price
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wake — a trail
  6. stock — shares
  7. key — the most important part
  8. charge — electricity
  9. key — for a lock
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. stock — goods
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bore — to tire
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. key — in music
  18. charge — in control
  19. bank — for money
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bank — of a river
  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