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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: march · band · charge · stock · mark · fall · plane · coach

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. stock — shares
  5. mark — a grade
  6. march — music
  7. march — the month
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mark — a trace
  10. charge — in control
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. charge — a price
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. charge — electricity
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stock — goods
  21. march — the month
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. band — a music group

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