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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: stock · calf · bore · cap · hand · racket · charge · board

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. hand — in cards
  3. stock — goods
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stock — shares
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bore — to tire
  8. cap — a hat
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. hand — help
  13. charge — a price
  14. bore — to drill
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cap — of ice
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. cap — a lid
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. charge — in control
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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