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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: toast · spell · charge · roll · stock · wind · suit · track

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — a list
  3. charge — electricity
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. spell — magic
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. charge — in control
  15. stock — shares
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. toast — bread
  20. track — a song
  21. spell — letters
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  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