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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.

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: foot · rule · charge · saw · wind · ball · rock · stock

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. charge — a price
  6. stock — goods
  7. rock — music
  8. ball — a dance
  9. charge — electricity
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rule — government
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rock — a stone
  17. foot — a measure
  18. charge — in control
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. stock — shares
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wind — moving air
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. rule — a law

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