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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: chip · pop · stand · mug · kid · land · charge · stock

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pop — to visit
  4. land — a country
  5. charge — in control
  6. chip — to eat
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pop — music
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. kid — to tease
  14. charge — a price
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. land — ground
  19. charge — electricity
  20. stock — shares
  21. mug — to rob
  22. stock — goods
  23. pop — soda
  24. mug — a face

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