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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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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: bay · rash · stock · board · season · charge · deal · fall

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rash — a series
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. charge — in control
  12. rash — hasty
  13. charge — a price
  14. board — to get on
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. fall — the season
  18. charge — electricity
  19. season — in sport
  20. board — a committee
  21. stock — goods
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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