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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: mate · perch · bound · charge · march · row · stock · rock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bound — certain
  3. march — the month
  4. charge — in control
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — a price
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. bound — obliged
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bound — tied together
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. row — a line
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. mate — to breed

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