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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.

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: degree · stock · chip · charge · press · ruler

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. degree — an amount
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. chip — to eat
  7. degree — temperature
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. charge — in control
  12. press — newspapers
  13. charge — electricity
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. charge — a price
  18. degree — from a university

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