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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: march · content · charge · bank · cue · mark · stock · stick

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. charge — a price
  4. mark — a grade
  5. march — the month
  6. bank — for money
  7. mark — a trace
  8. charge — electricity
  9. content — happy
  10. bank — of a river
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cue — a hint
  14. content — the amount
  15. charge — in control
  16. march — music
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stock — shares
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — goods
  23. march — the month
  24. cue — a signal

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