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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: field · club · ruler · charge · stock · pit

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. charge — electricity
  5. field — a subject
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. stock — shares
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. field — farmland
  11. club — a group
  12. field — for sport
  13. club — for golf
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stock — goods
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pit — a hole

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