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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
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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: temple · scale · file · calf · charge · stock · chest · pop

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. scale — in music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. charge — electricity
  5. scale — size or range
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. chest — of your body
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chest — a box
  13. file — a line of people
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. file — a tool
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. pop — music
  18. stock — goods
  19. chest — of your body
  20. file — a document
  21. charge — in control
  22. stock — shares
  23. charge — a price
  24. temple — a place of worship

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