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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: firm · stick · stock · ground · game · mark · charge · cell

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. mark — a grade
  3. firm — decided
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. mark — a trace
  6. firm — steady
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cell — in biology
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cell — a phone
  19. ground — a position
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. ground — crushed
  22. game — a match
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. firm — a company

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