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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 · stock · squash · cap · charge · jam · perch · hide

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. charge — a price
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. stock — goods
  5. cap — a hat
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. stock — shares
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. squash — the sport
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. cap — of ice
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. perch — the fish
  22. squash — to crush
  23. cap — a lid
  24. mouse — for a computer

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