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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: coach · stock · jam · land · charge · current · fork · hide

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stock — goods
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. current — of water
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. current — electric
  9. fork — in a road
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. land — ground
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. charge — in control
  14. land — a country
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. land — to come down
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stock — shares

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