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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 116 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: suit · field · perch · stock · wake · charge · fine · march

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wake — a trail
  5. charge — in control
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. charge — a price
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. field — a subject
  14. march — music
  15. charge — electricity
  16. march — the month
  17. fine — high quality
  18. field — for sport
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. march — the month
  21. stock — goods
  22. perch — the fish
  23. field — farmland
  24. fine — all right

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