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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 116 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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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: stock · charge · dip · bound · deal · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. charge — electricity
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bound — certain
  6. charge — in control
  7. deal — to handle
  8. dip — to sink
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. charge — a price
  12. stock — shares
  13. scale — in music
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bound — obliged
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bound — tied together

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