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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: suit · stock · rush · bat · present · pass · club · charge

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. club — for golf
  3. charge — in control
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. charge — electricity
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. charge — a price
  10. present — a gift
  11. bat — the animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. suit — to fit
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pass — a permit
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. club — a group
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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