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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: ruler · stem · club · scale · board · charge

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. charge — a price
  7. club — for golf
  8. board — to get on
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — in music
  11. club — for dancing
  12. charge — in control
  13. stem — to come from
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. club — a group
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. 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