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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 · charge · safe · pound · rock · wound · bat · swing

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. swing — music
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bat — the animal
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rock — a stone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. charge — a price
  15. rock — music
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stock — goods
  22. wound — an injury
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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