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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: mark · stock · can · saw · key · charge · mate · cap

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mark — a grade
  4. cap — a lid
  5. charge — in control
  6. key — the most important part
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. key — in music
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a friend
  13. key — for a lock
  14. saw — the tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. charge — a price
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cap — a hat
  21. stock — shares
  22. cap — of ice
  23. stock — goods
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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