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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: can · charge · stock · roll · suit · rash · spell · capital

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stock — goods
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. rash — hasty
  5. spell — letters
  6. roll — a list
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. roll — a cake
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stock — shares
  11. capital — a city
  12. charge — electricity
  13. capital — money
  14. spell — a short time
  15. charge — in control
  16. can — a tin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rash — a series
  19. spell — magic
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. can — a tin
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. charge — a price

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