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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
468
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: fine · charge · perch · pitcher · object · stock · can · root

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. can — to be able to
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. perch — the fish
  8. root — the cause
  9. fine — high quality
  10. object — a thing
  11. root — of a word
  12. object — to protest
  13. can — a tin
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stock — shares
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. charge — a price
  22. object — an aim
  23. fine — all right
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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