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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 116 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: mug · swing · shower · deal · lie · perch · stock · charge

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. deal — to handle
  3. shower — rain
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. swing — in golf
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mug — a cup
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. swing — music
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stock — goods
  17. shower — to wash
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stock — shares
  20. perch — the fish
  21. mug — to rob
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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