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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: charge · bowl · wake · pass · stock · spring · bear · coach

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. spring — the season
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. spring — a coil
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wake — a trail
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. charge — in control
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pass — a permit

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