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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: fan · content · press · stock · scale · jam · charge · chip

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. content — happy
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. press — to push
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. press — newspapers
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. press — a publisher
  12. stock — goods
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. charge — electricity
  18. content — the amount
  19. chip — for betting
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — in control
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stock — shares
  24. scale — for weighing

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