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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: pop · charge · game · stock · craft · scale · pound · can

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. game — wild animals
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. stock — goods
  7. craft — boats
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pop — soda
  12. charge — a price
  13. scale — in music
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. charge — in control
  16. stock — shares
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. game — a match
  19. craft — a skill
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. can — a tin
  24. craft — a handicraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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