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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: bay · stock · mouse · straw · stick · sharp · wax · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stock — shares
  8. charge — in control
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. charge — a price
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mouse — the animal

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