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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 · pound · dip · row · cabinet · stock · pass · chip

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. charge — a price
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. stock — goods
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. charge — in control
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. dip — to sink
  17. row — a line
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pass — a permit
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stock — shares
  24. dip — to dunk

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