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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: wake · squash · sharp · charge · bowl · ruler · mine · stock

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. wake — a trail
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stock — shares
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. squash — the sport
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. charge — a price
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. squash — to crush
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stock — goods
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. mine — belonging to me

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