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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: mug · spell · leaves · bore · land · stock · cue · charge

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. charge — in control
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. charge — electricity
  5. land — ground
  6. land — a country
  7. bore — to drill
  8. cue — a signal
  9. spell — letters
  10. charge — a price
  11. spell — magic
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stock — shares
  14. mug — a face
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cue — for pool
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. spell — a short time
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. land — to come down
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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