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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: squash · charge · stock · rock · root · march · hide · leaves

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. squash — the sport
  3. charge — in control
  4. march — the month
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. squash — to crush
  8. march — the month
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rock — a stone
  12. march — music
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — the cause
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rock — to move gently

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