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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: can · charge · scale · chip · prune · drill · roll · current

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. charge — a price
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. drill — the tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. current — electric
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — a cake
  11. drill — a practice
  12. scale — size or range
  13. can — a tin
  14. current — happening now
  15. scale — in music
  16. current — of water
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. drill — army training
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. can — to be able to
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. roll — on a roll

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