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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: kid · coach · lean · snap · stock · can · charge · ball

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lean — thin
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. stock — goods
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. charge — electricity
  11. ball — a great time
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. kid — child
  15. can — to be able to
  16. kid — to tease
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. snap — to click
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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