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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: perch · charge · rule · march · last · lash · cabinet · ball

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. last — finally
  3. last — final
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. last — to go on
  7. march — the month
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. charge — in control
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rule — a law
  16. march — the month
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. march — music
  19. charge — electricity
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rule — government
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. charge — a price

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