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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: stock · racket · bank · ball · saw · charge · board · perch

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. perch — the fish
  3. saw — the tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. board — to get on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stock — shares
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — goods
  12. bank — for money
  13. saw — the tool
  14. board — a committee
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bank — of a river
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ball — a dance
  24. board — a flat piece

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