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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: charge · lean · spring · land · scale · bank · deal · court

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. scale — size or range
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. spring — a coil
  5. court — of law
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lean — thin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bank — for money
  11. land — a country
  12. bank — of a river
  13. deal — to handle
  14. court — of a king
  15. scale — in music
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — the season
  19. charge — a price
  20. court — for sport
  21. bank — for money
  22. lean — to bend
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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