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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 120 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: cue · track · charge · scale · swing · nail · mate · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stock — goods
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mate — a friend
  8. swing — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. charge — in control
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. swing — in golf
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. scale — size or range
  16. track — a song
  17. cue — a hint
  18. scale — in music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. track — a path
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. cue — for pool
  24. track — to keep track

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