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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: mine · charge · pitcher · plane · scale · spring · key · stock

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stock — goods
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — a coil
  6. stock — shares
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. spring — of water
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. charge — in control
  17. key — in music
  18. charge — a price
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stock — a soup base

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