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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · field · ball · stock · tube · plane · charge · deal

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. tube — a container
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. charge — in control
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. charge — electricity
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. stock — shares
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. deal — to handle
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. stock — goods
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. field — farmland
  20. plane — a tool
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — for sport
  23. charge — a price
  24. deal — a big deal

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