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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: racket · cold · charge · stock · temple · bay · pass · rock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. charge — electricity
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. charge — a price
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rock — a stone
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rock — music
  15. cold — not warm
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. stock — goods
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. charge — in control
  22. cold — an illness
  23. pass — a permit
  24. racket — for tennis

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