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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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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: fan · rule · ball · charge · lie · perch · drill · court

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. court — of law
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. perch — the fish
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. court — of a king
  9. charge — electricity
  10. court — for sport
  11. drill — the tool
  12. charge — in control
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rule — a law
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rule — government
  19. charge — a price
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. drill — army training

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