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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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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 · track · mate · band · board · charge · temple · bass

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. board — to get on
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. stock — shares
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stock — goods
  17. track — a path
  18. board — a committee
  19. bass — low music
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mate — a partner

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