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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: suit · charge · prune · hide · bay · pop · stock · drill

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stock — shares
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pop — soda
  6. stock — goods
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. charge — a price
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. drill — the tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pop — music
  14. charge — in control
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. drill — army training
  18. suit — in cards
  19. drill — a practice
  20. pop — to visit
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. suit — clothes
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. charge — electricity

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