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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: scale · board · squash · capital · charge · stock · mouse · ground

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stock — shares
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stock — goods
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. scale — in music
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. ground — a position
  14. charge — a price
  15. capital — money
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — to crush
  19. ground — crushed
  20. capital — a city
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ground — the earth
  23. board — to get on
  24. capital — a big letter

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