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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
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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: perch · coach · stock · ball · charge · suit · bound · mug

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. charge — electricity
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bound — obliged
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bound — certain
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mug — a face
  11. bound — tied together
  12. charge — in control
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — shares
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. charge — a price
  19. mug — a cup
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mug — to rob
  22. perch — the fish
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. perch — for a bird

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