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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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · perch · charge · shower · arm · staff · race · pop

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. staff — employees
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — rain
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. shower — to wash
  9. charge — a price
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. race — the arms race
  15. pop — soda
  16. race — a contest
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. perch — the fish
  19. staff — a stick
  20. race — humankind
  21. charge — in control
  22. staff — employees
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. ruler — for measuring

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