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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. capital — a city
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rule — government
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. capital — money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. stock — shares
  13. suit — in cards
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stock — goods
  16. charge — in control
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. rule — a law
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. suit — to fit
  23. charge — a price
  24. fork — in a road

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