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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: stick · lean · deal · leaves · pitcher · cap · charge · stock

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stock — goods
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stock — shares
  12. cap — a lid
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. cap — of ice
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lean — thin
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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