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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: pop · chip · stock · ground · charge · cap · suit · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. ground — crushed
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stock — goods
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cap — a hat
  8. charge — in control
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. pop — music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stock — shares
  13. chip — to eat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ground — a position
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. charge — a price
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pop — soda
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. ground — the earth
  23. pop — to visit
  24. cap — of ice

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