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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · hide · tube · mark · stock · craft · bore · ground

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. craft — a skill
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. charge — electricity
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. charge — in control
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. craft — boats
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stock — shares
  13. bore — to drill
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bore — to tire
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — the earth
  19. charge — a price
  20. mark — a grade
  21. stock — goods
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. tube — a container

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