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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: charge · fork · stem · stock · fall · tube · pound · staff

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. charge — in control
  3. stock — goods
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. fall — the season
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. staff — employees
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stem — to come from
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. stock — shares
  17. fork — in a road
  18. charge — a price
  19. tube — a container
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. staff — employees
  24. tube — in a tire

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