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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 116 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: bank · land · charge · bound · bass · stock · racket · vault

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stock — shares
  3. bass — low music
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. land — ground
  6. bound — certain
  7. charge — a price
  8. bound — tied together
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bank — of a river
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bank — for money
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bank — for money
  18. land — to come down
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. stock — goods
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bass — the fish
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. charge — in control

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