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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: saw · tube · firm · scale · stock · march · ruler · charge

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. march — music
  3. firm — decided
  4. charge — a price
  5. saw — the tool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. firm — steady
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — shares
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. charge — in control
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. march — the month
  19. firm — a company
  20. tube — a container
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. march — the month
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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