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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: stock · snap · charge · mate · root · bank · scale · stand

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. root — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. root — of a word
  7. stock — goods
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. charge — electricity
  10. scale — in music
  11. mate — to breed
  12. stand — to bear
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. mate — a friend
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bank — of a river
  19. snap — to click
  20. bank — for money
  21. root — the cause
  22. mate — a partner
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bank — for money

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