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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: stock · toast · plane · charge · jam · ball · mark · net

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. charge — a price
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. net — for catching
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. ball — a dance
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. stock — goods
  19. mark — a grade
  20. toast — bread
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. mark — a trace
  24. jam — a tight spot

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