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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: wax · ground · field · charge · current · fine · mug · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wax — to grow
  4. charge — in control
  5. fine — all right
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. field — a subject
  9. stock — shares
  10. mug — to rob
  11. charge — a price
  12. mug — a face
  13. current — electric
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fine — high quality
  16. field — farmland
  17. ground — crushed
  18. current — happening now
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. ground — a position
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. current — of water
  23. field — for sport
  24. wax — for sculpting

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