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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: mark · charge · fine · pound · chip · scale · field · board

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. field — a subject
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fine — all right
  5. field — for sport
  6. charge — in control
  7. board — to get on
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. scale — in music
  12. chip — for betting
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fine — high quality
  16. chip — to eat
  17. board — a committee
  18. field — farmland
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. scale — size or range
  22. charge — a price
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pound — for dogs

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