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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 120 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: racket · deal · charge · key · row · fork · rash · stock

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stock — shares
  4. rash — hasty
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. charge — in control
  9. rash — a series
  10. charge — electricity
  11. key — in music
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. row — to paddle
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. charge — a price
  20. stock — goods
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. row — a line
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — the most important part

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